A Compassionate Conversion
A Compassionate Conversion I once met a righteous convert and asked him what led him to join the Jewish nation. Here is his story: A number of years ago, I underwent a difficult period. I was left penniless, walking the streets of Saint Paul, Paris, with hunger and thirst as my constant companions. I didn’t […]
Dancing His Way to Mitzvah Observance
Dancing His Way to Mitzvah Observance I used to be acquainted with a righteous convert who lived in France. Unfortunately, after the fires of enthusiasm toward his newly-acquired religion died down, he developed a chilled attitude toward mitzvot, until he eventually abandoned the yoke of Hashem’s sovereignty. One year, on Simchat Torah, I met this […]
As in Life, So in Death
As in Life, So in Death R’ Rachamim Elbaz, who supports our institutions, once asked that I pray for a sick woman who was deathly ill. He added that this woman was not Jewish, but was married to a Jew. If I would refuse to bless her, he asserted, he would fully understand. To his […]
Seeing the Light of Torah
Seeing the Light of Torah A gentile couple in the USA discovered that the husband had a growth in his head. His condition deteriorated until he lost his vision completely. The couple did not despair, but tried everything possible in order to cure him. They visited the top doctors and invested tremendous sums to find […]
No Stranger to Torah
No Stranger to Torah It was during the first Intifada in Eretz Yisrael. Throughout the world, Jews were suffering at the hands of foreign nations. It was no wonder then, that when an Arab who happened to be in France visited our yeshiva there, he was met with suspicion. He had grown interested in Torah […]
Converts
“You shall love the convert for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Devarim 10:19) “No sojourner ever slept outside; I opened my doors to the street” (Iyov 31:32) Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, “The convert is more beloved to Hashem than the nation that stood at Har Sinai. Why? If that […]
The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth
The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth A man once approached me, and with righteous indignation, stated, “Rabbi David, I do not want so-and-so elected as president of our community! I will do everything in my power to ensure that he does not get this post.” “Why don’t you want him to […]
Proud Beginnings, Humble Endings
Proud Beginnings, Humble Endings When we learned in yeshiva as young students, we would argue on Torah topics until one of us could prove to the others that he was right. We relished these arguments, becoming deeply embroiled in them. Each of us would stretch his mind to the limit in order to understand the […]
A Writ of Humility
A Writ of Humility I had the singular merit to visit the home of Maran Harav Ovadiah Yosef, shlita. Unfortunately, he had something wrong with his hand, which prevented him from writing. One could detect the suffering on his face at being deprived of committing his Torah thoughts to paper. With the Torah authority of […]
Pride Goes Before a Fall
Pride Goes Before a Fall On a visit to New York, I went to the place where the Twin Towers used to stand. The World Trade Center fell on the 23rd of Elul, 5761, 9/11/2001, in a hijacking attack. I heard that the place is now called Ground Zero, and wondered why it is not […]
A Humbling Experience
A Humbling Experience I once organized a gathering in Lyon for the sake of transmitting an important message. As the time drew nearer, I was filled with apprehension. I very much wanted to reach as many people as possible. What if only a small audience would attend? But I was met with a big surprise. […]
Arrogance
“In the mouth of the fool is the rod of pride, but the lips of the wise will guard them” (Mishlei 14:3) Pride is called a rod, for it is stiff as a rod (Metzudat David). The fool doubts the veracity of wisdom. Wisdom is above the logic of man. It is solely in Hashem’s […]
