Rav A. L. Scheinbaum wrote a story. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, zt”l, was a revered Mashgiach of Yeshivas Ponovezh. Rav Yechezkel served Hashem with great awe throughout his life. In fact, his Yiras Shamayim was so great that he was rarely seen smiling.
One day, a Talmid noticed that Rav Yechezkel was in a cheerful mood. Surprised, he asked his Rebbi why he was in such good spirits. Rav Yechezkel explained, “Before the Second World War, I served as Mashgiach in the Mirrer Yeshivah. I received a very small salary that was nowhere near enough to feed my family. Every day, I pleaded with Hashem to spare my family from hunger. Baruch Hashem, my prayers were always answered. I felt like the Yidden in the Midbar who had no choice but to place their faith completely in Hashem to send them Mann from Shamayim every day.
“When the war broke out, I escaped to Shanghai along with the entire Yeshivah. Money was tight there as well, but I managed the same way I had in Lithuania. I trusted in Hashem and He supported me. After the war, I began serving as the Mashgiach of the Ponovezher Yeshivah.
“For the first time in my life, I was paid a comfortable salary. Without realizing it, my feeling of dependence on Hashem diminished. Suddenly, I had money in my pocket. I no longer felt quite so keenly that I could not possibly survive a single day without Hashem’s Chesed in seeing to my needs and those of my family. Now the Yeshivah is experiencing financial difficulties,” Rav Yechezkel concluded. “I haven’t been paid in months. I suddenly find myself pleading with Hashem to sustain my family with the same fervor I used to Daven with every day. The realization that I had regained a precious treasure fills me with joy!”
Reprinted from the Parshas Ki Savo 5785 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’Tefilah.
