By Yoni Schwartz
Rav Refael Levin, the son of Rav Aryeh Levin, ZT”L, was visiting a hospital. Nearby was the hospital rabbi, who was doing his daily rounds - going from door to door, speaking with and encouraging patients. When the hospital rabbi saw Rav Refael Levin, he got very excited, ran over to him, and asked if his father was also there.
The hospital rabbi said, “I have to ask you a question. I come to the hospital as it’s my job. Your father comes, and it’s not his job. I can spend an hour with the patients, but when I get up to leave, they say, ‘So soon? You’re leaving already?’ - thinking that I don’t really care about them and that I’m just here because I have to do my rounds.
However, when your father visits, he only stays for a few minutes, yet when he leaves, there’s always a smile on the patient’s face. How does he do it?” Rav Refael responded, “Well, he’s here right now - why don’t we go over and check?”
Rav Aryeh Levin, zt”l
As they approached Rav Aryeh, they saw him enter a room. They looked at their watches: it was exactly 9:00 A.M. on the dot. When he walked out, they looked again. It was 9:02.
The hospital rabbi said, “I don’t understand - he was in there for two minutes!” Rav Refael responded, “Yes, he was only there for two minutes, but for those two minutes, he had all the time in the world.”
Reprinted from the Parshas Emor 5785 email of Torah Sweets.
