By Rabbi Nosson Muller
I recently visited the new home of a talmid of mine. As he and his wife proudly showed me around, I noticed an exquisite mezuzah case on one of the doorposts. I asked where they had gotten such a beautiful case and my talmid’s wife told me the following:
“I had a very difficult childhood. My parents divorced when I was young, and ever since, one unfortunate situation after another seemed to come my way. My only safe haven was my day in school. Despite my defiant behavior and total lack of cooperation in doing my work, my teachers and principals stood steadfast by my side, constantly being mechazek me and tolerating my continual misdemeanors with patience and love. I miraculously graduated high school and seminary and finally settled down and married.
My teachers were with me all the way through. “Even after I married, my teachers would consistently check up on me to see how I was faring. When my elementary school principal heard that we had purchased our new home, she went out and bought us this mezuzah holder as a gift. It reminds me each day that the Shomer Yisrael has many messengers that He sends to watch over us. True, there might be just one letter on the cover of the mezuzah holder, but to me that one ‘ois’ speaks volumes. When I kiss that mezuzah, I am thanking Hashem for so much...”
One letter is indeed so small, yet its ramifications are greater than we can ever imagine.
Rav Gad Eisner
