A man once came to R’ Yechiel Meir of Gustinin, known as the “Guter Yid,” mentioning a loved one who was sick and needed Rachamim (mercy). The Guter Yid told him to say Tehilim (Psalms). The man replied that he had come to the Rebbe so that the Rebbe should ask Shomayim (Heaven) for Rachamim.
R’ Yechiel Meir said: “Chazal tell us that if one has a sick person in his house, he should go to a chacham (Torah scholar) and he shall pray for him. Chazal did not say ‘to pray for him,’ which would imply that the Chochom should beseech Shomayim for mercy, but rather ‘and you shall pray for him,’ which refers to the one who came to the Chochom.
The Chochom’s role is to guide the petitioner, but the ‘work’ must be done by you.” themselves! (Still, it was R’ Yechiel Meir’s custom that whatever he “assigned” to others, he did himself as well, and he would always daven (pray) for Rachamim for the benefit of those who asked him)
Reprinted from the Parshas Korach 5784 email of Migdal Ohr.
