Sunday, October 5, 2008

Two Groschen. R' Levi Yitzchok Berditchov

With trembling fingers the woman took her kvitel and crossed out her own name.
"Pray for my Shloimehleh, Rebbe," she said, her eyes brimming with tears, "that he should have a year of life, health and happiness."

Upon hearing these words, the Rebbe's eyes came alive with a fiery light.
Grasping the widow's two groschen in one fist, and her kvitel in the other, he raised them triumphantly to heaven and cried:
"Father in Heaven! Look! Look what a mortal mother is prepared to do for her child! And You---shall it be said, G-d forbid, that You are less a parent to Your children?! Can You look this woman in the eye and refuse to grant Your own children a year of life, health and happiness?!"

"Come," said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak to his gabbai and to the widow, "let us go to Kol Nidrei."

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