Moving toward Torah
Many years ago, I visited a community abroad which lacked a Sefer Torah. I did my utmost to raise the funds necessary to purchase one. When this was accomplished, the joy of the community knew no bounds.
This place was infamous for its lack of tzeniut and its rampant promiscuity. I advised a number of inhabitants to move to a place more conducive for a Torah Jew. A portion of young men heeded my words and, indeed, made the move to a Torah community. In this merit, they became extremely strengthened in Torah and mitzvot and established fine Jewish homes.
In the spirit of teshuvah which began seeping into the community, a woman approached me and said that she and her family wished to settle elsewhere. Their home was located near the beach, which drew waves of immodesty with each tide. Besides, the Beit Hakeneset where her husband prayed did not have a fixed minyan. They wanted me to help them move the holy items from the synagogue, which was located in their building.
I was exceedingly happy to hear these tidings and agreed to help them. It was decided that first the family would leave, together with their belongings; afterward, the Beit Hakeneset would be cleared out, ending with the removal of the Sefer Torah.
After everything was taken out, everyone was astonished to watch the entire building crumble to the ground! Heaven was showing these good Jews that it was only the zechut of the Torah that had maintained this edifice, keeping them alive all this time.
An eyewitness to this incident was a righteous convert, who insisted on marrying a true ben Torah in spite of the pressure to marry a gentile. I am certain that she was destined to witness this open miracle in order to strengthen her connection to Torah-true Judaism.
