Worthy Winnings
One Friday, Reb Moshe, one of the members of the congregation, entered the Beit Hakeneset. He wasn’t happy; he was euphoric. Beaming broadly, he cried out, “I won! I WON!” Did he win the state lotto? Perhaps he won the big prize in some other raffle drawing?
“Reb Moshe,” I asked, most curiously. “What did you win?”
“For twenty years I have been trying to convince my neighbor to lay tefillin. But he constantly refused. Today, when I approached him with my usual request, he finally acquiesced!”
“And what did you win?” I pressed on.
“What did I win? The zechut of bringing merit to my neighbor!”
Realizing how sweet Torah is, Reb Moshe wished to share it with others. He felt that all Jews are mutually responsible. By encouraging his neighbor to lay tefillin, he brought the merit of this mitzvah to another Jew. He will receive his due reward in Shamayim.
