No Cap on Mitzvah Observance
No Cap on Mitzvah Observance One Shabbat, my dear disciple, R’ Michael Ben-Shushan was walking with his young son from the yeshiva building to his house, when a strong gust of wind blew his kippah off his head. He instinctively covered his head with his hands and began pursuing his kippah. Finally, the kippah came […]
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home On one of my trips to the States, I stayed at the home of Mr. Yitzchak Abadi. One day, I asked him to drive me somewhere. His young daughter was with us in the car, and his wife asked that he first bring her home and then take me to my destination. […]
Building up Merits
Building up Merits A wealthy individual bought a number of buildings, but unfortunately suffered great losses as a result. Additionally, he was summoned to court on charges, which, if proven true, would force him to relinquish other buildings in his possession. With a broken heart, he related his problems to me, asking for my assurance […]
A Shot of Security
A Shot of Security The following tale took place in Miami, when I stayed at the home of Mr. Ben-Chamou, the son of R’ Amram Ben-Chamou, a”h. A man and his wife came to see me. The wife began by reminding me that the previous year, I had blessed them that they merit having a […]
Don’t Wash Your Hands of It
Don’t Wash Your Hands of It A man related that he was diagnosed with cancer. His doctors recommended chemotherapy, a difficult and drawn-out process, which would take about six months. I asked this man if he was scrupulous in washing his hands every morning, upon awakening. He replied in the negative. I instructed him to […]
Awakened by a Mitzvah
Awakened by a Mitzvah A young man once volunteered to arrange a hilula celebration in honor of the tzaddik, Rabbi Meir Ba’al Haness, zy”a. He did this altruistically, with no ulterior motives whatsoever. Unfortunately, when he went around inviting people, a mentally ill man shot him and nearly killed him. He was rushed to the […]
Soaring to Safety
Soaring to Safety I owe my life to my good friend, the dayan and tzaddik, Rabbi Nissim Rebibo, zy”a. This is what happened: A number of years ago, he invited me to a dinner in honor of his institutions, adding that my participation would help his cause tremendously. I was busy arranging a flight to […]
In the Merit of Mitzvot
In the Merit of Mitzvot “Better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world than the entire life of the World to Come, and better one hour of spiritual bliss in the World to Come than the entire life of this world” (Avot 4). Rabbi Dessler (Michtav Me’Eliyahu I, pg. 4, in the […]
A Productive Investment
A Productive Investment A few days before I was scheduled to travel to the States, my trusted secretary and escort’s wife called me up. She complained of recent extreme exhaustion. The family was also in the midst of moving. The tension of not feeling well, coupled with the frenzy of the move, caused her house […]
Seeing the Light
Seeing the Light When I was receiving people in the institution Yad Avraham, in New York, I was approached by a man who was in need of eye surgery. This man was most scrupulous in Torah observance and set aside time each morning to learn the Daf Hayomi, a practice he never missed. He asked […]
No News Is Good News
No News Is Good News One evening, before retiring, I had an urge to glance at a newspaper. I wanted to know what was going on in the world. At that time, the security situation in Israel was delicate. Various wars were taking place throughout the world, and the financial situation in general was at […]
Spiritual Strength
Spiritual Strength A devastating earthquake in Mexico claimed thousands of casualties and left hundreds injured. In the shopping district where the earthquake struck, a daily Torah shiur was given in one of the offices. After the shiur, the businessmen would meet for Minchah services. After this tragedy, the organizer of this Torah shiur, in whose […]
