Weekly Story: Become Inspired 

by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon 

I am posting a story I heard two weeks ago from Reb Gil Hirsch, who spoke about his son Reb Schneur Zalman a”h, whose yahrzeit was that day.

Additionally, I will post a thought I mentioned at a farbrengen last Shabbos which is connected to that story. 

As always your feedback and comments are much appreciated.

Around twenty years ago, Schneur and a friend went on Mercaz Shlichus to the Virgin Islands. They were informed that an elderly Jew will meet them and drive them to all the Jews living around the town and its outskirts so that they can offer them the opportunity to put on Tefillin. However, they were also informed that under no circumstances are they to ask him to put on Tefillin.

This sounded somewhat peculiar as why would someone give up three weeks of his time to drive them around town to help others put on Tefillin while he won’t do it himself, but that was the situation.

The person was talkative, and in the first two weeks they discussed many topics about Judaism but the topic of Tefillin was not brought up.

In the beginning of the third week when he picked them up, Schneur noticed that this Jew was withdrawn and downcast. Seeing this, he asked him if everything was alright?

After a moment’s pause the man replied, “I already informed you that I own a marina and it is quite profitable. However, I am in the seventies and last year I decided it is time to sell it, so I put it up for sale. An entire year went by, and I didn’t receive even one offer.”

Schneur responded, “In Brooklyn I go to office building on Fridays. Many of the offices are occupied by lawyers. Some put on Tefillin every Friday and others put on occasionally, yet there was one lawyer that although he would accept the weekly brochure and would talk with us, he refused to put on Tefillin.

“One Friday he was downcast, and I asked him if everything was ok. He replied, ‘I live off the retainers that I receive at the beginning of the case. The balance which I am given at the end of the case is deposited in my retirement account. 

‘This has been my system for many years and it worked out even though I maintain a high standard lifestyle. The problem is that for over a month I haven’t received any retainer, and I had to withdraw from my retirement account in order to maintain my lifestyle.’

“Hearing this I said to him, you see, you need a special blessing. So challenge G-d. Put on Tefillin and ask G-d to keep His half of the bargain and send you a retainer.

The lawyer agreed and put on Tefillin for the first time.

Next week when I came to his office he was full of smiles. He greeted me with happiness and exclaimed, G-d kept His bargain completely! This week, I received not one, but three retainers. Let us put on Tefillin again!”

Schneur then said, “Maybe you too should make a deal with G-d. Put on Tefillin and ask Him to send a buyer.”

The man agreed and put on Tefillin.

Two days later he was all smiles and said, “Hashem kept His half of the deal. Last evening, a company from Japan called and asked for my lawyer’s number as they want to discuss the contract with him.”

After repeating this story I mentioned that the possuk says that Hashem instructed Noach to place a light in the Ark. Rashi explains that one opinion notes that he was instructed to place a precious stone in the Ark, and another opinion states that he was to make a window in the roof.

The Frierdiker Rebbe explains what the difference between them is. Regarding a precious stone, the light comes from the stone itself, but by the window the light comes from another source, with the window being a means for the light to enter.

The question is what can we learn from this?

The Frierdiker Rebbe explains that there are times that a person inspires himself to improve. However, there are times that the inspiration comes from outside of us, [just as in the story the lawyer and elderly Jew were inspired by someone who was their junior by many years. Yet they accepted his words of inspiration.]

So if you can inspire yourself through your prayers or something else, that is wonderful. If not allow yourself to be inspired by the actions or words of someone else.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com