By Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn
Reb Yisrael Klein, a saintly man in his eighties, passed away in Jerusalem. He was beloved by all, and a constant stream of people came to comfort the family during the shiva. One evening, a gentleman walked in, tentatively scanned the room for a familiar face but could not find one. He made his way slowly to where Reb Yisrael’s sons were sitting. After he was acknowledged, he said softly, “I came here tonight to tell you a story about your father. I am religious today only because of him.”
“It was many years ago,” the man began, obviously pained by the memory of the episode. “I was a youngster, maybe 16 years old, in Auschwitz and I was starving. I was going from one garbage heap to another searching desperately for a scrap of food. I couldn’t find a thing and I was terrified that I would die from hunger. As I was going from place to place, I saw another fellow, a few years older than I, also searching for something. That fellow was Reb Yisrael.”
“He came over to me and said, ‘What are you looking for?’
“’I’m starving,’ I said. ‘I need some food - anything. Can you give me anything?”
A Loving Hug that Made a Difference
“He looked at me sadly and said, ‘I, too, am looking for food, but I haven’t found any.’ Then he came close to me and took me in his arms and embraced me. ‘This is what I can give you,’ he said, ‘a hug - because I love you. And I love you because you are a Jew. And remember that Hashem also loves you, just because you are a Jew.’”
The gentlemen dabbed at his eyes as he struggled to continue. “After the war I went through many difficult times and my religious convictions teetered, but I always remembered his warm embrace and special words to me that day. That kept me going. Eventually I came to Israel and settled here. I remained religious only because of him.”
The mourners nodded their heads in quiet awe. They hadn’t known that story about their father, but they could believe it. Reb Yisrael always had the right words - and the caring heart to deliver them with passion. (Reflections of the Maggid)
