Hashem Effects Salvation
A Gerrer Chassid, one of our wealthy donors, was scheduled to marry off his son the next day. That very day, he was also scheduled for a hearing in which he was liable to lose a substantial sum of money. He came to me for advice.
I tried to strengthen his spirit with words of emunah, but I felt that it was not enough. I then gave him a siddur and told him, “Open up to any page and we’ll see what it says. Maybe there will be a message there for you.”
The man opened the siddur at random, and was met with the words “For You effect salvation.” These are definitely words of faith, indicating that salvation is not far.
I told him, “Tell your lawyer to utter these words during the hearing.”
The man was flabbergasted. “My lawyer is a non-believer. Why do you think he would agree to say these words?”
I was obstinate. “Tomorrow is your son’s wedding day. Do not appear in court on that day, but send your lawyer in your place. You prepare in joy for your son’s wedding, and Hashem will bring your salvation.”
The man was hesitant. “What will the judge say when he sees I defied a court order?”
“That is why I told you to have your lawyer utter the words ‘For You effect salvation.’ The merit of my forefathers will stand in your defense, as well as the mitzvah of marriage, and the zechuyot of the previous Admorim of Ger,” I said with certainty, in the face of his skepticism.
I attended his son’s wedding. As soon as the father noticed me, he approached me, with a huge smile on his face. He hugged me and kissed me, and called out, “Honored Rav, I emerged innocent!”
I asked him to explain exactly what had happened. This is his story:
Just as the Rav advised, I had my lawyer go to the courthouse instead of me. The judge, as expected, asked, “Where is the accused?” My lawyer replied, “He is marrying off his son today and could not appear in court.”
“That’s the way it is with all Jews!” the anti Semitic judge bellowed. “Always trying to get out of unpleasant situations. Always with another excuse! One time, it’s Shabbat, or a holiday. Another time, it’s a wedding or some other event. The main thing is that they always find a pretext for shirking their duty!”
The lawyer, with aplomb, turned to the judge, and stated, “My client wrote the words For You effect salvation on a piece of paper. This means that G-d does miracles. Since today is his son’s wedding day, the merit of this day will protect him, with G-d’s help.”
The judge was amused by the lawyer’s rhetoric. He asked the lawyer, half in earnest, half in jest, “Do you really believe that these words will prove your client’s innocence?”
The lawyer stood quiet for a few moments. Then he began his defense. Every so often, the judge would interrupt him in order to repeat his words. The lawyer, raising an eyebrow in surprise, obeyed him and repeated his words as he was told.
Finally, the judge told my lawyer, “Tell your client that he is innocent! The words he scrawled for you actually helped!”
After hearing these words, and later on, the lawyer’s rendition, I was very moved. Faith in Hashem saved this man and proved his innocence!
Many years later, I had the opportunity to host two honored guests for Shabbat. One was my mentor, Rabbi Binyomin Kaufman, shlita, and the other was the son of the philanthropist, the Chassid who had emerged victorious in the court case.
During one of the meals, I asked the young man to relate the miracle that had occurred to his father in the merit of the words For You effect salvation. My teacher was very touched by this story and asked it be made public.
This story causes a kiddush Hashem and strengthens one’s emunah in Hashem and His servants.
