His adherence to the halachos of prayer, as with all mitzvos, was without compromise. He was vigilant to ensure that the prayers were conducted at their proper time.
During a journey to raise funds for the yeshivah, he traveled to Switzerland, visiting various cities where Jews resided. Wandering amidst the beautiful Alpine landscapes of Zurich and St. Moritz, he did not seek pleasant sightseeing tours but remained steadfastly focused on his mission to strengthen and support the yeshivah. Even as he passed by the rushing streams and serene lakes of Lugano, Basel, and Lucerne, his heart burned with holy fervor to inspire wealthy Jewish philanthropists to raise the banner of Torah in the Kamenitz Yeshivah.
During his travels, he heard of a noble minhag practiced by a wealthy Swiss benefactor—a man of great means and substance—who began each day with a brief act of tzedakah. Before attending to his extensive business affairs, this magnanimous donor would dedicate time after Shacharis to distribute charity. This act reflected his simple yet profound faith in the mitzvah of tzedakah and his trust in the Divine promise (Malachi 3:10), וּבְחָנוּנִי נָא בָּזֹאת אָמַר צְבָאוֹת אִם לֹא אֶפְתַּח לָכֶם אֵת אֲרֻבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם‘ה וַהֲרִיקֹתִי לָכֶם בְּרָכָה עַד בְּלִי דָי - Test Me in this,” says Hashem of Hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of the heavens and pour out for you an overflowing blessing.”
The daily distribution of tzedakah was brief yet magnificent. The wealthy patron stood joyfully and generously, holding a large bundle of Swiss 100-franc notes—a considerable and impressive sum—and distributing them to every petitioner and charity collector. Naturally, this was only the starting amount, the minimum. To those who continued to plead, תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר רָ שׁ - The poor man speaks entreaties (Mishlei 18:23), he graciously increased his donations, often giving far greater sums.
Rav Moshe Aaron was pleased to hear of this opportunity and hoped to attend this morning event. With a significant and generous donation, he could save precious time, avoiding the need to go house to house and thus complete his demanding fundraising journey abroad more swiftly.
However, there was a problem: when Rav Moshe Aaron inquired about the prayer time at the shul of this wealthy man, he discovered that they customarily prayed well after the optimal and preferred time for Shacharis. Upon hearing this, Rav Moshe Aaron immediately dismissed the idea. “Regarding the proper time of tefillah, there can be no compromise—no matter the circumstances!” he firmly declared.
Rav Moshe Aaron thus missed the tzedakah gathering following Shacharis that day. Yet his heart was at peace with his Creator, rejoicing in his commitment to fulfill the mitzvah of timely tefillah with full halachic precision. He did not despair; instead, he decided to attend that shul for Minchah, even though he was told that no tzedakah was distributed then and that all charity-seekers approached this wealthy man only after Shacharis. Nevertheless, Rav Moshe Aaron, a noble emissary on a sacred mission, did not refrain from trying.
After Minchah, he gently approached the prominent benefactor, overcoming his discomfort, and apologized for not attending the Shacharis event. He humbly asked for funds for the young talmidei chachamim of the Kamenitz Yeshivah, seeking support for these precious talmidim.
At first, the wealthy man was slightly perturbed by the breach of his customary timing for charity. However, upon recognizing that this was a man of stature—a great talmid chacham—he chose not to dismiss him until the following morning, as was his usual practice. Instead, he pulled out a 100-franc note and handed it to Rav Moshe Aaron, the standard amount he would give during the morning distribution.
Rav Moshe Aaron expressed his heartfelt gratitude, blessed the benefactor with success, and then immediately turned to the sefarim shelf. He eagerly took out a beloved Gemara, settled himself comfortably in a corner of the shul, and immersed himself in the sweet toil of Torah study while waiting for Maariv.
The benefactor, seated in his dignified place at the front of the shul, was deeply impressed by the sight of the talmid chacham engrossed in his learning. He admired his refined demeanor, respectful speech, and the sincerity of the blessing he had received from him. Quietly, the benefactor approached the gabbai and inquired, “Do you know the identity of the guest sitting in the corner? Who is he, and from where has he come?”
“Of course!” the gabbai replied. “That is the renowned mashgiach of the Kamenitz Yeshivah in Yerushalayim, a man of great stature, a distinguished talmid chacham, and an exceptional educator.”
Upon hearing this, the wealthy man, gazing at the guest with reverence, approached Rav Moshe Aaron again. This time, he discreetly handed him an additional 300 francs (!) along with a blessing for the yeshivah’s prosperity and success. Rav Moshe Aaron welcomed him warmly, expressed heartfelt thanks, and blessed him again, wishing him success and abundance.
As the evening fell and darkness replaced the light, the kehillah gathered for Maariv. Afterward, everyone dispersed to their homes and businesses. Yet Rav Moshe Aaron, unable to part from his beloved Gemara, returned to his seat, seizing every possible moment to immerse himself in Torah study before resuming his sacred mission of fundraising for charity.
The shul was now entirely empty. The devoted Yerushalmi sat alone in his corner, basking in the joy of Torah and cleaving to the living God. Suddenly, the door creaked open. Startled, Rav Moshe Aaron wondered who might be entering at this late hour. He didn’t know the people of this city and feared that a local non-Jew might have entered upon seeing the shul lights still on. To his surprise, it was none other than the prominent benefactor. Relieved to see it wasn’t an outsider, Rav Moshe Aaron returned to his studies.
The wealthy man walked softly around the grand and elegant shul, eventually approaching the talmid chacham’s corner. Sitting down beside him, he spoke with warmth and sincerity.
“Please listen to me, my dear tzaddik,” he began. “Today, I witnessed your honesty, righteousness, and great dedication to the holy yeshiva. I was deeply impressed. When I left Maariv, I went directly to my business here in the city center. With extraordinary Divine assistance, my work flourished beyond expectations. Your heartfelt blessing must have had its effect! Everything proceeded smoothly and efficiently, and within a short time, I finalized several profitable deals that yielded substantial gains.
“As I left my business, my heart was full of praise and thanks to the Borei Yisbarach for the day’s success. As an expression of gratitude to the One who is good and bestows goodness, I set aside a generous sum for charity.
“As we learn in this week’s parashah (Devarim 26:3–10), הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ - I have declared this day to the Lord, your God – “that I am not ungrateful” וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה הֵבֵאתִי אֶת רֵאשִׁית פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר .)Rashi( נָתַתָּה לִּי ה’ וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ לִפְנֵי ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ - And now, behold, I have brought the first fruits of the soil that You, Hashem, have given me. Then you shall place it before the Lord, your God, etc.
“While passing by this shul on my way home, I noticed the light shining through the windows and decided to enter, hoping to find charity collectors here to distribute my donation. Finding no one, I have decided to entrust the entire sum to you to honor and uplift the House of Hashem in Yerushalayim, the beautiful city.”
Without delay, the wealthy man pulled out a thick envelope filled with crisp Swiss francs—several thousand in total—and handed it to Rav Moshe Aaron. The Rav thanked him with all his heart and blessed him fervently, bidding him farewell with warmth and respect.
And so, we learn how much good and blessing resulted from Rav Moshe Aaron’s adherence to the proper time for prayer. By fulfilling Your Face, Hashem, I seek, and by being careful with tefillah as befit his lofty level, he merited abundant blessing.
Had he compromised and chosen to pray later to attend the morning charity event, he likely would have left with just 100 francs and nothing more!
How fitting and appropriate for Rav Moshe Aaron was his well-known statement on the eve of Yom Kippur: if he were not embarrassed, he would break into a lively dance during the Shehecheyanu blessing of Yom Kippur!
When the heart fills with song and praise, drawing near to the good God, Your Face, Hashem, I seek! Without this holy day, how distant and detestable we would be in our sins, chas veshalom. Yet through the great merit of repentance and the sanctity of the day, we cleave to the Shechinah. As the Rambam explains (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:6): “Yesterday, this person was hated, despised, distant, and abominable before God. Today, he is beloved, desirable, close, and a friend.”
