Sought-after Merchandise
Sought-after Merchandise On one of my visits to the holy gravesites in Europe, as I approached the grave of the Ba’al Shem Tov, zy”a, I met my old friend, R’ Povarsky, shlita. At the grave of the Ba’al Shem Tov Hakadosh, zy”a This man merited rising literally from rags to riches. He began his career […]
Kept in Line by the Stick
Kept in Line by the Stick One of my prized possessions is the walking stick of my grandfather, the tzaddik, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a. This cane is priceless in my eyes. I would never sell it for all the money in the world. One day, I had an urge to hold this cane in my […]
“And he believed in Hashem, and He considered it to him as righteousness”
“And he believed in Hashem, and He considered it to him as righteousness” (Bereishit 15:6) &“The people feared Hashem, and they had faith in Hashem and in Moshe, His servant” (Shemot 14:31) Fear and faith are the foundation of the entire Torah. Rabbeinu Chananel writes that faith is comprised of four parts: Faith in Hashem; […]
And from My Disciples, I Learned the Most
And from My Disciples, I Learned the Most Our Sages teach, in the name of Rabbi Chanina, “I learned much from my mentors, and more from my peers, but from my disciples, I learned most of all.” This saying came to mind when I was on my way to the wedding of a disciple. A […]
You Shall Not Hate Your Brother in Your Heart
You Shall Not Hate Your Brother in Your Heart A number of people once came to me, stating that they despised a specific Jew. Woe to the ears that hear such talk! I immediately rebuked the speakers. “I am honestly astounded at how Hashem continues to shower you with kindness, when you display such animosity […]
An Unorthodox Approach to Fundraising
An Unorthodox Approach to Fundraising Lanus, Argentina was home to only Reform Jews for many years. Finally, an Orthodox Jewish family settled there. With great mesirut nefesh, they changed the face of the place. The citizens became transformed, slowly but surely, into a cohesive unity of Orthodox Jews, lovers of Hashem and His Torah. Even […]
Seek the Welfare of Others, and Hashem Will Seek Yours
Seek the Welfare of Others, and Hashem Will Seek Yours I once found myself in New York, spending a couple of days there, collecting funds for the benefit of our institutions. Without any prior warning, I was struck with a general weakness. I couldn’t get out of bed, let alone speak publicly. Obviously, my mission […]
The Power of a Good Word
The Power of a Good Word I once had occasion to meet a simple Jew. This man was quite ordinary and lacked any sort of worldliness. But he had the gumption to approach me with a Torah insight that he himself revealed. In all honesty, it was quite a simple explanation, but I demonstrated great […]
Selfless Devotion to One’s Fellow Man
Selfless Devotion to One’s Fellow Man A young man once came to see me when I was receiving the public for audiences. I saw that he had invested a lot in this meeting, having traveled a great distance for it and waiting in the long line of petitioners. I assumed this young man had come […]
Unconditional Love
Unconditional Love Two Jewish businessmen came to ask me for advice regarding their businesses. The first looked like a nice, Torah-observant Jew, while the other looked like he had no connection with the Torah or faith in Hashem. As soon as they walked in, I stood up and greeted the second man with a warm […]
“You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem”
“You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem” ^(Vayikra 19:18) “You shall love your fellow as yourself,” Rabbi Akiva says this is a fundamental principle of the Torah. Ben Azzai says that the pasuk “This is the account of the descendants of Man” is an even greater precept (Yerushalmi, Nedarim 9:41). >“What […]
The Picture of Purity
The Picture of Purity When I was in New York, a Jew named Menachem T., who prayed at the Yad Avraham Beit Hakeneset, approached me, asking for a blessing for his sick father. This story took place before Menachem was a ba’al teshuvah. His clothing attested to his detachment from all things Jewish. Nevertheless, I […]
