Weekly Story: The Long V’hu Rachum
by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon
I was sent this story written by the KolBo (who lived in the late 13th and early 14th century), and I thought that, being that on Sunday we are beginning to say tachanun once again, many people would enjoy the insight on why we say the long V’hu Rachum on Monday and Thursday.
He explains that just as in Eretz Yisroel the Beis Din presided on Monday and Thursday, and so too, does the heavenly court judge on those days. So at a time of judgment, we ask for Hashem’s compassion as we see in the following story.
Thank you Shloime, for sending it.
Your comments and feedback are always welcome and appreciated.
A group of Jews traveled by boat from Yerushalayim and arrived in a distant land. The ruler of that land asked them who they are and they replied we are Jews.
Evidently he was an evil person and he replied, I will test you to see if you are Jews as you claim. I will throw you in a fire and if you are Jews, nothing should happen to you just as nothing happened to Chananya, Mishuel and Azarya [who were thrown into a fire by Nebuchadnezzar when they refused to bow down to an idol of him].
Hearing this they paled, as how can they compare themselves to those great tzaddikim. So they requested from the king to grant them thirty days to prepare themselves. To this, the king agreed, but of course, he placed them under house arrest making sure that they don’t try to escape.
During those thirty days they fasted every weekday from sunrise to sunset and davened to Hashem to have mercy on them.
On the night before the thirtieth day, one of them who was an extremely G-d fearing individual had a dream. However, being that he was not so learned, all he could remember was that he was shown a possuk that had the word ki two times and the word lo three times, but he couldn’t remember the entire possuk, and what the message from heaven was.
But nevertheless he shared this information with the others. One of the people with him was quite learned and said the possuk is in Yeshayahu (43:2) and the possuk says that “When you pass through waters, I am with you; in rivers, they will not sweep you away, when you enter the fire you will not be singed, nor will any flame burn you.: – Ki sa’avor bamayim itcha anochi……”
That the person concluded is a sign from Heaven that you will be saved and won’t be burned in the fire.
So the person who had the dream said to the others that he was willing to be the one who would be thrown into the fire.
The following morning the kings servants made a large fire and the one who had the dream stepped forward. They took him and threw him into the roaring flames. However, to the king’s [and everyone else present] shock, miraculously nothing happened to him, he walked around as if he was in a garden.
Furthermore, another miracle occurred; the fire split into three, and in each one stood an individual who after greeting the elderly man who was thrown into the fire, and they began giving praise to Hashem. These three individuals evidently were tzaddikim and were praying on behalf of the elderly Jew who was thrown into the fire.
One of them said from V’hu Rachum until Unah Melech Chanun V’rachoom. The second one continued from there until Ein komocho chanun vrachoom (only one paragraph) and the third one said the rest until the end.
The Kolbo concludes, therefore it became the custom to say these tefillos as part of tachanun on Mondays and Thursdays.
Dear Reader, this coming Sunday and Monday there is a fundraiser to perpetuate the memory of my brother-in-law, Avrohom Eliezer Goldman hy”d, whom I did not meet as he was murdered while standing at a phone booth speaking to someone about Judaism.
Upon the guidance of the Rebbe a fund was established to help parents send their child to a camp for at least part of the summer. Please participate at www.thecampfund.com
On behalf of my friends who teach in HaMesivta, I bring to your attention that their annual Auction fundraiser is concluding this Sunday. Please look at their prizes and help them out at www.Hamesivta.com
Thank you
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
