THE POWER OF STORIES
Dear Family,
I hope that everyone is well.
A refuah shleimah for Yechezkel ben Ester.
Mazal Tov to Zalmy and Nechama Dina on the bris and naming of their new son - Ariel Rachamim Alexander. Wishing you to bring him up to Torah, Chuppa, and Good Deeds, all with much joy BEH
Mazal Tov to Shmuel Levy on his birthday this coming week. Wishing you a year of much hatzlochah Shmuel in both gashmius and ruchnius, many simcos, and much nachas BEH
Mazal Tov to Chanie Davidoff (California) on her birthday this coming week. Wishing you a year success in everything that you do Chanie, and with much joy.
Mazal Tov to Shlomo Kehaty whose birthday is at the end of next week. Wishing you to continue growing and achieving Shlomo, and stay the very sweet boy you are, giving much nachas to your parents.
The theme in this weeks Farbrengen Publication was the POWER OF A STORY, and the story featured has a very close connection to Rahel and I, and so I decided to share it.
The son in the story grew up to be Reb Nissan Pinson, the Frierdike Rebbe, and Rebbe's shaliach to Tunisia, where he and his wife, had a great influence on Rahel's life, and subsequently both of our lives.
As an introduction:
The Rebbe Maharash once said: "People say that relating a story of the Baal Shem Tov on Motzaei Shabbos is a segula for parnasa. The truth is that these three points are not necessarily so - lav davka. It does not necessarily have to be about the Baal Shem Tov - it can be about any tzaddik; and it is not only applicable on Motzaei Shabbos - it can be at any time; and the segula is not only for parnasa - but for all good things as well. "
And the Story:
R. Nochum Yitzchok Pinson
R. Nochum Yitzchok Pinson was born in 5645 (1885) in Pahar, and was a talmid of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Lubavitch. He lived in Starodub and Charkov, and was moser nefesh for Yiddishkeit and the chinuch of his children under Communist rule. He was arrested by the Communists in 5699,(1939) and passed away in a gulag in 5702. (1942)
Not blessed with success in business, R. Nochum Yitzchok struggled to put food on his table. Forced to work long hours and make frequent trips, his children's chinuch (Jewish education was being overlooked.
In his town, there was no Chasidic cheder, and his children were educated in the spirit of the times. Torah study was supplemented with Russian language and secular studies, until the Torah education became secondary. As people said then, "They anyway won't become Rabbonim, so however much Torah they learn is fine."
Though R. Nochum Yitzchok was greatly pained by their depraved chinuch, and more than once he interrupted their secular studies, he couldn't stop it. The prevailing culture was strong, and his relatives accused him of depriving his children of a living. He consoled himself that when his parnassa stabilizes he'll devote himself to his children's chinuch, but that time was not coming. During his business trips his children were left entirely without supervision, and they made bad friends.
Upon returning from one long trip, the severity of the situation hit him. He cried to himself, thinking, "What kind of life is it if my sons won't be faithful Temimim?" But what could he do? He had no money, and the closest yeshiva was in Kharkov - 500 km away! He sold his gold watch and some other items, and he told his wife that he will be taking their ten and twelve-year-old sons to yeshiva.
When the news reached his wife's family, they barged into his home and berated him, "Have you lost your mind? Where are you sending these young boys? Now, when the government is shutting down yeshivos, you must give them a general education so that they can be doctors or engineers, and be able to support you!"
But R. Nochum Yitzchok was adamant, and his wife also realized the urgency. With a heavy heart, she packed up food and clothing, and bid them a tearful goodbye.
After three whole days of traveling, they arrived in Kharkov, to find that the Yeshiva had lost it's premises. R. Nochum Yitzchok was at a loss of what to do next, but the resolve to give his children a Chassidic chinuch did not allow him to give up so fast. He remained in Kharkov for two weeks, and after they had reestablished the yeshiva in a new location he deposited the boys with the Rosh Yeshiva.
Entering the yeshiva, a new world opened up before the boys - tens of bochurim and boys devoted to Torah and avodas Hashem (the Service of Hashem). The enthusiasm of the bochurim won them over, and in a short time, they became outstanding temimim and influenced their younger brothers and sister. The family became a shining example of Torah, avodah, and tzedaka, and R. Nochum Yitzchok's wish for ehrliche (sincere )children materialized even better than he had imagined.
Gut Shabbos to all