Paying Respect to the Tzaddikim

When I was perhaps twenty-six years old, I visited the grave of my holy grandfather, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a. I noticed that the cemetery was unkempt and therefore hired workers to clean up the place and make it look respectable, as is fitting for the resting place of the holy tzaddik, where many prayers are offered daily. I did not realize that I had given the workers every last cent I had, until I was preparing my return trip to Casablanca. The last bus was due to arrive in one hour. Where would I get the funds to return to my lodgings? As I made my way to the bus depot, I offered a prayer to Hashem, to come to my aid in the merit of my grandfather, as I had laid out all my money to cover the cost of respect for the dead.

99. With R’ David Loeb, in the old cemetery in Mogador

I saw the bus in the distance and wondered from where my salvation would come. Suddenly, I heard someone call out, “Here he is!” I turned my head to find, much to my delight, R’ David Loyb, z”l, one of the elderly Jews of Essaouira, who merited long life due to the blessing of my grandfather, Rabbi Chaim Pinto. Rabbi David asked if I had the fare for the way back, to which I answered no. Upon hearing this, Rabbi David became extremely excited. He told me that that Rabbi Chaim Pinto had appeared to him three times in a dream and instructed him to give money to his grandson for the bus ride. When he awakened, he repeated the dream to his wife, who dismissed it as nonsense. But since it had repeated itself a few times, he felt an inner drive to go to the bus stop and see what would be. Here he found Rabbi Chaim’s grandson, waiting for the bus, exactly as the tzaddik had predicted.

R’ David Loyb’s wife then understood that tzaddikim can accomplish things in this world even after their death. She realized that whoever concerns himself with their honor after death is granted reward in this world as well as the Next. She asked forgiveness from the tzaddik for making light of his words. Baruch Hashem, I received travel fare in a miraculous manner, enabling me to catch the last bus to my destination.