By Rabbi David Ashear
Jeffrey’s* father ingrained in him from a young age to have emunas chachomim. In 2010, Jeffrey was 37 years old and still unmarried. His Rav told him, “You need to learn Torah every day.”
“I have a difficult schedule,” he replied, “and I must rush to work. I don’t have time.”
The Rav then said, “If you commit to learning Torah every day from 6:15 am sharp until 7:00, I guarantee you will be engaged by Tu BiShevat.”
This conversation took place at the start of November with Tu BiShevat just a few months away. Jeffrey believed the words of his Rav. The next morning, he came at 6:10 to learn. For the next few months, he always arrived early to fulfill his part of the deal. The week of Tu BiShevat, he got engaged. And he has been learning ever since.
The story did not end there. A year later, he and his wife were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. Three years went by without another child. They went to Eretz Yisrael on vacation. Jeffrey went to R’ Chaim Kanievsky for a bracha.
“We’ve been waiting for another child for three years,” he said, adding, “and I really want a baby boy!”
At the time, Jeffrey was wearing a bracelet and a ring, both of which had sentimental value. R’ Chaim told him to remove his jewelry, because it was forbidden for a man to wear items befitting a woman.
“I will listen to anything the Rav tells me to do, but can the Rav please give me a bracha that I will have a baby boy?”
R’ Chaim said yes. Exactly nine months later, his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He believed in the words of the Gadol, and Hashem rewarded his belief. (Excerpted from the ArtScroll book – “Living Emunah on Shidduchim”)
Reprinted from the Sukkos 5785 email of The Weekly Vort.
