By Rabbi Sholem Dovber Avtzon
Reb Yosef Gajer related that the previous week he was in South Burlington, Vermont visiting his daughter, who together with her husband, are the Shluchim to Northwest, Vermont.
On Shabbos I went with my son-in-law to Rabbi Raskin’s shul , which is an hour’s walk away in Burlington, Vermont, on the campus of the University of Vermont.
One of the regulars who davens there is an individual, to whom Shabbos and the weekdays are similar. He only put on his tallis, but not his tefillin. Reb Yosef continued, “I had gently asked him on weekdays in my previous visits if he would like to put on tefillin, but his answer always was, Thank you, but no.”
This Sunday morning at the conclusion of davening I approached him and said, “Mr. so-and-so, may I ask of you a favor?”
“Of course,” was his reply.
Put on Tefillin on Behalf of My Son
“My son is having an operation this Tuesday, the 26th of December, in New York City. My request is, would you please put on tefillin and say a prayer on his behalf.
“Yes,” was the reply and the man took out his tallis a second time, put it on, and then he donned the pair of tefillin. When he concluded saying his prayer he said, “Please inform me after the operation how your son is doing.”
“With pleasure,” I replied.
Reb Yosef returned home to Brooklyn to be with his son, so he asked his daughter and son-in-law to inform that gentleman in person when the operation is over. [May his recovery continue going well until Hashem grants him a complete refuah.]
On Friday during my conversation with my daughter I asked her how that gentleman received the news and how he is in general.
“Tatty that is interesting that you are asking me that now. Right now, my husband is Kashering his kitchen!”
Reprinted from Rabbi Avtzon’s Weekly Story email for the week of Parshas Shemos.
