Man’s Purpose in This World
“What profit does man have for all his labor which he toils under the sun?” ^(Kohelet 1:3) The Rambam writes (Shemoneh Perakim 5): It is proper for a person to employ his own special characteristics in the service of his intellect, as we have expanded in the previous chapter. He should focus on one thing: […]
Those Who Plant with Tears Will Reap with Joy
Before the opening ceremony of our yeshiva in Bayit Vegan, Yerushalayim, a number of prominent Roshei Yeshiva in Bnei Brak approached me. They wanted their institutions to be associated with ours, so that I would help support theirs. They were at the end of their rope financially and could no longer support their institutions. I […]
A Complete Recovery
A man from New York once came to see me. His son was in critical condition, diagnosed with cancer, rachmana litzlan. This man asked that I pray on behalf of his son in the merit of my forefathers. I did so, and with Heavenly kindness, the boy recovered. I told the man, “Now you must […]
The Tree of Life
A dear friend once presented me with two palm trees. I planted one in the yard of our yeshiva in France and the other in my own backyard. The tree by the yeshiva blossomed beautifully, whereas the one by my home withered away. I had to keep cutting off the dead branches, until nothing was […]
The Paradoxical Life of the Defector
A number of men once came to me to receive a blessing in the merit of my forefathers, zy”a. Upon entering my room, they kissed my hand in reverence. Throughout their visit, they demonstrated tremendous faith in Hashem and the berachot of tzaddikim. After they left, I was informed that these men were hardened criminals […]
No Pain, No Gain
A man once confided in me that when he studies Torah, he is often unsure as to whether or not he understood the material. He must therefore review it over and over again. This causes him untold anguish. Whenever he reviews his learning, he merits revealing new insights into the subject, but this offers him […]
Yaakov and Eisav – An Inverse Relationship
A Jew who spent his time learning Torah and doing mitzvot once approached me and asked, “Rabbi, why do I have so many physical and spiritual problems?” “Do you often travel by plane?” I asked. “Yes.” “Do you study Torah on your trips?” I pressed him. “I cannot muster the concentration necessary for that.” “So […]
Drawn to the Light
When my family once left the house for an extended period of time, we left the windows open in order to air out the house. This was during the summer months. Toward evening, the house became filled with moths, flies, and fleas, which were drawn to the lights in the rooms. When we finally arrived […]
Over and Over Again
A man once approached me with the following question, “Honored Rav, why must we review our study time after time? Why isn’t it enough to learn each comment once, and then move on to the next one?” I did not respond immediately. Sometime later, after participating at a shiur which I delivered, he came to […]
Hovering in Heaven
As we were coming in for landing in New York, Hashem suddenly enlightened me in understanding a specific sugya which I had been having trouble comprehending. As the city’s lights came into view, the resolution of the sugya dawned on me with crystal clarity. Without wasting a moment, I pulled out a pen and paper […]
Every Person Has His Hour
We had a relative who was a well known businessman in Morocco. As a young man, I wanted to meet with him on several occasions, but it never worked out. When I needed funds in order to publish a book about my grandfather, Rabbi Chaim Pinto Hagadol, zy”a, I wanted to enlist his help, but […]
Try It; You’ll Like It
I once sat in the Beit Hamidrash in our yeshiva in Lyon, learning with my students. Suddenly, an unaffiliated-looking young man entered. I waited to see if he wanted something. He merely looked around and then left. I called after him to sit with us awhile, but he declined. I tried convincing him that he […]
