Dr. James David Weiss had been attending Rabbi Berel Wein’s classes for a while, and though he was not committed to Judaism in all its aspects, he was truly fascinated by the amazing insights and the spiritual impact that Torah study had made on his life. In fact, although he was a shiur regular, and his wife was committed to Torah observance, the doctor had not yet made the commitment to observe Shabbat.
Towards the summer, Dr. Weiss mentioned to Rabbi Wein that shortly he would be visiting Israel. The doctor had heard Rabbi Wein’s stories of his experiences, as the Rabbi of Miami Beach, having chauffeured Rabbi Yosef Kahanamen, the Ponovezer Rav on his fund-raising missions in the United States.
In many of his lectures, Rabbi Wein had related his close relationship with Rav Kahanamen, and Dr. Weiss excitedly told Rabbi Wein that he would soon visit the Ponovez Yeshiva.
Dr. Weiss did not know that the Rav had passed away a decade earlier, so he enthusiastically offered to send Rabbi Wein’s regards to the Ponovezer Rav. Not trying to discourage the visit, Rabbi Wein smiled and said, “you could try.”
Rav Eliezer Shach and Rabbi Berel Wein
Dr. Weiss arrived at the Ponovez Yeshiva and after marveling at the beauty of its gilded Aron Kodesh and nearly 1000 swaying Talmudists, he asked a boy to direct him to the Ponovezer Rav. Since the Rav had passed away a decade earlier, they directed him to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Eliezer Menachem Shach. Dr. Weiss waited for the Sage to lift his head from the large tome. The old Sage looked up and greeted the doctor. Dr. Weiss stuck out his hand, and with the remnants of the Yiddish he had salvaged from his youth, he addressed Rav Shach.
“Sholom Aleichem! My name is Dr. Weiss I study with Rabbi Wein and I come from America with warmest regards from him.”
Rav Shach looked at him quizzically. “I don’t know a Rabbi Wein.”
“Don’t you remember?” asked Dr. Weiss in shock. “Rabbi Berel Wein,” he repeated. “He would often drive you when you visited Miami on behalf of the Yeshiva.”
Rav Shach smiled. “I don’t know Rabbi Wein, and I have never been to Miami. My name is Shach. I think you meant to see Rav Kahanamen, but he has passed away.”
Dr. Weiss looked embarrassed. But Rav Shach quickly dissolved the discomfort by holding the doctor’s hand and blessing him warmly.
“Dr. Weiss, you are a good Jew and you should be blessed. But remember, Shabbat observance is an integral part of Yiddishkeit. Do not forsake the Shabbat!”
Dr. Weiss was astonished. How did Rav Shach know about his wavering about commitment to Torah-observance?
It did not make much of a difference, because from that day on Dr. Weiss affirmed his committed to Shabbat with the same intensity that he had always committed to his fellow man. (Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky)
Reprinted from the Parashat Aharei Mot-Kedoshim 5785 email of Rabbi David Bibi’s Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace.
