A Healthy Dose of Sanctification
A young man approached me in Mexico. He related that, Baruch Hashem, he had found his intended and become engaged. But sadly, his fiancée had recently been diagnosed with a difficult illness. His parents insisted that he break off the engagement, but he refused.
“Honored Rav, I am in a predicament. I want to marry this girl in spite of her illness. But my parents, as I mentioned, won’t hear of it. I am afraid that if I marry her against their wishes, and she, chas v’shalom, passes away, they will be terribly angry with me for not listening to them before I married her.”
He was quiet for a moment, before continuing, “If my fiancée has a complete recovery, I resolve to publicize this miracle, thereby causing a public kiddush Hashem.”
I asked him, “Why wait until she gets better? It would be fitting for you to glorify Hashem’s Name now. Just as a pauper is required to give tzedakah even in poverty, according to his means, and not wait until he becomes wealthy, so are you required to sanctify Hashem’s Name at this very moment.”
He took my words to heart. He reinforced his mitzvah observance and tried to sanctify Hashem’s Name to the best of his ability. This was all in order to bring merit for his stricken bride.
The years passed. One day, this young man came to me with his wife, who had recovered completely, and their two young children. They were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their third.
I was very moved at this display of the result of sanctifying Hashem’s Name. When one attempts to bring honor to Hashem’s Name, he is paid measure for measure and shown tremendous miracles.
