Special Delivery
One Friday afternoon, Mr. Jean-Jacques (Itzchak) Rachmin, the president of the Jewish community in Lyon, went to the yeshiva for Minchah services. Afterward, as was his custom, he stayed for a shiur in Torah and Friday night services.
During the Torah lesson, when he was engrossed in his study, Rabbi David suddenly came up to him and punched him hard in the stomach. Mr. Rachmin was shocked at this act. In pain, he asked the Rav why he had done this.
Moreinu merely shook his head, stating that Heaven had caused him to do this. Later on, they would find out why.
Later on they did, indeed, find out all the details of the story.
At that very time, Mr. Rachmin’s wife, who was expecting, was walking up the steps of their building to reach her apartment. Since Shabbat had already come in, she could not turn on the light in the stairwell. In the darkness, she missed a step. She fell down a full flight of stairs, becoming bruised and bumped.
At her cries, the neighbors hurried to send her to the hospital. There, the doctors solemnly stated that she, as well as her unborn child, was in serious danger. The fetus had turned over due to the tumble, and his position was perilous both to himself and his mother.
Suddenly, with no outside intervention, the fetus turned back to a healthy position. He was born shortly thereafter, in full health. The doctors scratched their heads in consternation, unnaturally speechless over the miracle before their eyes. They had no way to explain what had happened.
When Mr. Rachmin heard about this, he asked what time the miracle had occurred. Imagine his amazement at hearing that it had happened at the exact moment when Rabbi David had hit him in the stomach. He suffered the pains which enabled his wife a complete deliverance and his baby a healthy delivery.
Now he understood the reason for the Rav’s punch. He hurried to thank him. But Moreinu said he had only to thank Hashem for the wonderful miracle.
