He Did It Himself
We’ll Be Rewarded for Every Little Action.
Shortly before World War II, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Lomzeh Yeshiva, Rav Yechiel Michel Gordon, traveled to London. At the time, his daughter was engaged to an outstanding talmid chacham in Lomzeh; Rav Yechiel Michel wrote to her, promising that he would borrow $500 from relatives to allow the couple to proceed with their wedding. His daughter wrote back the following:
I recently met a friend of mine who is also a kallah and asked her about the plans for her chasunah. She tearfully confided that because she is lacking $500, her engagement is in danger of being broken. Therefore, dear father, I am asking that you borrow money for her instead of me. With Hashem’s help, my chassan and I will manage without that money.
The Rosh Yeshivah was touched by his daughter’s selflessness and concern for the other kallah. He decided to show the letter to the Rav of London, Rav Yechezkel Abramsky. Rav Yechezkel, too, was touched and accepted upon himself to collect money for the needy kallah.
When Rav Yechezkel had collected the entire amount, he himself went to mail the envelope containing the check. His students asked him why he made a point of mailing the money personally, rather than sending his attendant to do it.
The Rav replied with a story (see Shimushah shel Torah, pgs. 12-13]:
The wife of the Vilna Gaon made a pact with her close friend. They promised one another that whichever woman would pass away first would appear to her friend in a dream and relay to her what occurred to her in the World to Come. The friend was niftar first, and shortly after her death, as agreed upon, she appeared to the Gaon’s wife and told her the following:
“I do not have permission to reveal to you the goings-on in Shamayim. However, because we made a pact, I am allowed to share one thing with you.
“Do you remember the day we went from door to door collecting tzedakah?” she asked. “We visited the home of one wealthy woman who was not home. Later, as we continued on our way, I noticed that woman walking on the other side of the street, and I raised my hand and pointed her out to you. Together we crossed the street and were successful in soliciting a donation from her.
“You should know that we were given equal credit for collecting that money and for every step we took in doing so. However, for that extra act of raising my hand and pointing to the wealthy woman, I received an additional reward.”
“And that is why I wanted to mail the envelope with the money myself,” Rav Yechezkel explained.
If we would only recognize the value of and reward for every little action and effort expended in doing a mitzvah, we would behave very differently.
Take This Home
The next time a mitzvah opportunity comes up today, choose to do it yourself, rather than asking or waiting for someone else to do it. Can you stay an extra five minutes to straighten up the shul? Can you offer a ride to someone waiting in the cold? Can you include the newcomer in your conversation?
Or choose to do something a little bit better than you usually do it. Can you make that berachah out loud? Can you smile and offer the tzedakah collector a drink? Can you bring that lost object to the owner’s door rather than asking him to pick it up?
Remember, the greatest beneficiary will be you!
In Short
After a person leaves This World, then begins the administration of din; this is what reigns in the Olam Ha’emes…and “who will be found righteous before Him in din?!” So much so that Chazal have said, If Hashem were to (deal with) the Avos with din, they too would not withstand (see Arachin 17a).
It is a totally different hanhagah, and the eyes of the niftar are raised to his children to bring him merit with their Torah and mitzvos, for that is his entire zechus.
Regarding this, my rebbi (Harav Yeruchem Levovitz) wrote that if children would know just how much their parents await their Torah and ma’asim tovim there, they would spend entire days involved in nothing but Torah and mitzvos in order to bring them merit in Olam Ha’emes!
Harav Shlomo Wolbe (as quoted in Voices of Consolation by Rabbi Doniel Hexter, Israel Bookshop Publications, page 131)
It Happened to Me!
My Olam Haba Moment
I read from Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg that the greatest mistake we tend to make is underestimating the significance of our actions, both positive and negative. Nothing we do is “no big deal.” Whether I stop to say hello to an acquaintance and bring a smile to her face, or, conversely, walk right by someone who could have used a kind word, my actions make a difference – for me! The reward or punishment I’ll receive is nothing like the kind of payment we get in this world. Rather, it is eternal and infinite. Reminding myself of this is a great impetus for me to push myself and stretch myself to do more.
L.Z.
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