It
Pays To Consult With A Rav
Today
you would be hard pressed to find a community that does not contain
someone who has turned to the Rebbe for a blessing or guidance through the
Igros Kodesh.
The
tendency is to try to determine from the response the Rebbe’s general
approval or disapproval of the issue in question, as opposed to examining
the answer in its every detail. But sometimes after the fact it becomes
apparent just how exacting the answer was. One example among many is the
story told by Mrs. Rochel Hendel of Tzfas:
A
certain Lubavitcher woman wasn’t feeling well for a long time, but she
still managed to run her household and to take care of her five children,
albeit with great difficulty. Eventually she decided to see a doctor, who
determined that she needed a very complicated operation from which it
would be difficult to recover.
The
woman went from expert to expert to get more opinions, but they all
recommended the same operation. Giving up on seeking an alternative, she
resolved to have the operation, scheduling it with a renowned doctor in
Yerushalayim. Just a day before the operation date she sat down and wrote
a letter to the Rebbe asking for a blessing for success in the operation.
She
put her letter in volume 17 of the Igros Kodesh and opened the volume at
random to page 309:
Peace
and blessing ... in answer to your letter of the 13th of Menachem Av,
wherein you describe your state of health and the doctors’ opinions. In
such a situation one should follow the orders of doctors expert in the
field ...
And
in response to your writing about having to rest for a few months
afterwards, that’s very surprising, because generally much less recovery
time is needed than that ...
It pays to consult with a rav about this. The merit of your
and your husband’s involvement in the education of Jewish children will
certainly stand by you and your husband and children in what you need ...
with a blessing for good news in all the above.
The
contents of the letter led her to understand that she needed the
operation, but contrary to the doctors’ opinion, she realized that her
recovery would be much quicker than they thought. One thing still wasn’t
clear though. What should she consult a rav about?
She
decided to speak to Rabbi Metzger, who advised her to go to Dr. Goldberg.
She cancelled her scheduled operation and went to Dr. Goldberg. He asked
her to repeat certain scans, and to her surprise (or maybe it wasn’t
that surprising) the doctor said that the operation did not need to be
that complicated; a simpler operation would suffice.
Three
hours after the operation she was on her way home!
The
Blessing In Learning Chitas
Yehoshua
(Shuki) Levy gathered up his work tools. He had just finished installing a
set of locks at a certain company located in the center of the country. He
began thinking about the 15,000 shekel awaiting him for his work. But as
soon as he walked into the office he felt that something was up. The
secretary was most unfriendly and asked him to wait until the boss was
available.
He
certainly didn’t anticipate the reception he would receive from the
boss. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?! You pulled a fast one on us.
We ordered one kind of lock and you put in something else! You won’t get
a single cent! Remove all the locks you put up at once!”
Shuki
tried to explain that he had no intentions of fooling anyone. He wasn’t
able to get the type of lock they had asked for, and so he had purchased
an equally good alternative. But all attempts at convincing the angry boss
were in vain.
At
some point, Shuki even tried to threaten a law suit, but that only made
the man angrier. He somehow managed to get out and fulfill the verse,
“hide a bit until the anger passes,” but he couldn’t foresee this
ending peacefully.
“Why
didn’t I tell them about the lock I bought instead — before beginning
work? Now nobody will say I’m in the right,” he concluded sadly. What
could he do?
He
recalled the time he had lived in Canarsie, New York. His friend Rabbi
Hertzel Borochov (who had made aliya and now lives in Rechovot) had
told him that one can always rely on help from the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
“But who can I turn to today?” he wondered.
As
a last resort he decided to contact Rabbi Borochov anyway and ask his
advice. Rabbi Borochov calmed him down and told him that the Rebbe is with
us and that now more miracles than ever are taking place. He invited Shuki
to his home to write a letter to the Rebbe. Shuki accepted the invitation.
At
Rabbi Borochov’s place the two sat and farbrenged a bit before
writing the letter. Rabbi Borochov told Shuki some “miracle stories”
involving the Igros Kodesh, lifting Shuki’s spirits. Rabbi Borochov
advised him to make some good resolutions in Torah, tefilla, and tzedaka
in order to provide a “vessel” for the Rebbe’s blessing. After
hearing some suggestions, Shuki resolved to learn Chitas and to
give tzedaka from the 15,000 shekel he had yet to receive.
After
writing a letter, which included the resolutions he had made, and after
saying “Yechi,” he opened volume 13 of the Igros Kodesh at
random to page 134-135, letter 4407:
Concerning
what you wrote at the conclusion of your letter — about “what will be
in the end” — your being doubtful is surprising, for we know that the psak
din Above is that in every matter of Torah, fear of Heaven, and
good character traits the hand of his adherents and those who walk in his
footsteps (the footsteps of the Alter Rebbe) will come out on top.
Rabbi
Borochov was very excited and told Shuki, “You decided to say Chitas
which includes Tanya, written by the Alter Rebbe. You are one of his mekusharim
(adherents), and as the Rebbe said, you’ll come out on top.”
Only
a few days later Rabbi Borochov received a message from Shuki. He happily
sang “Yechi” and told how he had suddenly received a letter
from the boss of the company with a check for nearly the full amount owed!
You
Never Know
On
the 16th of Teives, R’ Shneur Chevron and his wife made a bris.
They invited Rabbi Zimroni Tzik, who had been the sandek, to speak.
Rabbi Tzik described the chain of events that led to his being sandek,
and spoke at length about the topic of Moshiach and Redemption as it
related to the parasha and to the mitzva of mila.
A
few minutes after he was finished speaking, the rosh yeshiva, Rabbi
Segal, asked him to take the floor and say a few more words. Rabbi Tzik
decided to talk about the Igros Kodesh, and he told the following story:
A
few years ago I was invited to a radio talk show (Mike Hollar). While
waiting my turn, I heard how a couple of tourists to India were describing
its various idolatrous cults.
I
was very uncomfortable, and wondered whether it was appropriate for me to
quote the Rebbe, especially when I would have to protest about what I had
heard. I had to make a decision instantly as to whether to leave or not. I
had no time to write a proper letter, so I stood in a corner and wondered:
was I permitted to stay or should I leave? I said “Yechi” and
opened the volume of Igros Kodesh I had with me.
In
the answer at the top of the page it said”
“It
is permissible if there is some benefit for himself or for others, as
explained in the saying of the Baal Shem Tov...”
I
didn’t need more than that. About whether there would be any benefit for
myself, perhaps I could be the judge, but what about for others? I stayed.
During the course of the program I was asked by Mr. Hollar how one
connects with the Rebbe today. So I told him exactly what had just
happened, how I had wanted to leave because of the talk of idol worship
and how I was answered through the Igros Kodesh. Apparently there would be
some benefit in what I was saying and so I stayed. Mike was astounded.
But
that’s not all. In the days that followed, our office in Bat Yam
received many requests for blessings and guidance, etc. Each request was
accompanied by good resolutions. I could see how the Rebbe MH”M was
continuing to “force all Israel ... and to strengthen its breaches.”
Rabbi
Tzik concluded his story, everybody bentched and prepared for
Maariv, and then a young bearded man approached Rabbi Tzik and asked,
“Did the radio program you spoke about take place four years ago?”
Rabbi
Tzik said it took place in Nissan, 5755, four years ago, to which the man
replied, “Please allow me to thank you for the program. My name is Zohar
Chamu and I was greatly affected by that program...
“For
the first time I heard about writing and using the Igros Kodesh. Until
then I was almost completely uninvolved in Torah and mitzvos. I
worked as a financial advisor in my own office, but I was undecided as to
whether to continue in that line.
“Then
I heard you and decided to write to the Rebbe. I called information and
they gave me the number of a Chabad house. The people there told me to
contact the Chabad house in my area, in Migdal HaEmek.
“I
went to the yeshiva and wrote the letter. The answer contained
clear instructions to get involved in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim, to say
Tehillim, and then the letter dealt directly with my financial situation.
“I
consulted with Rabbi Segal, who told me it was time to get more involved
in Yiddishkeit. I began with shiurim in Chassidus at night, but I
soon found myself sitting and learning full time. By the way, I recently
returned from spending Tishrei in New York with the Rebbe.”
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