Purim 5784
At this point in time, we are trying to keep our spirits up, maintain a smile on my face – and even share a joke with friends. I am challenged however, whether at a time of hardship for many people in Eretz Israel, this is appropriate ? Well, I think it is. And allow me to share the following story, as “Proof”.
The following story must have happened over 65 years ago in Bnei Brak :
A quiet Shabbat afternoon, a man with his little child knocks on the door of the revered world known Rav, the “Chazon Ish”. The man apologises for the untimely disturbance, and explains that he needs an urgent Bracha form the Rav. The little boy with him, has swallowed a coin, and while he can breath freely at the moment, the father was very worried the coin could become stuck in the boy’s lungs and cause him to choke. So he seeks a blessing from the Rav. The coin should come out by itself. Otherwise I need to rush him to hospital, and he might need an operation to remove the coin.
The Chazon Ish said to the distraught father: Take the boy to Rav Khaneman, the equally famous dean of “Ponivez Yeshiva”. By now the father was perplexed, and asked why he should go to another Rav ? The Chazon Ish (who was generally a very serious person) responded: “Because Rav Kahneman (who was a genius in raising funds for the Yeshiva) knows how to take out money from the most difficult places… The man started to laugh, the boy joined him, and coughed out the small coin.
To which the Chazon Ish said: You see how sometimes “Simcha”, joy, can get us out of desperate situations. And furthermore – even if we don’t know why we are b’Simcha, (as the boy in our story, who certainly did not understand the humor of the Rav) it still does good to us!
Wishing you Shabbat Shalom and a good Purim!
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld