R’Ami Paikovsky was an Israeli businessman in Los Angeles, who later moved back to Eretz Yisroel. He was zoche to many extraordinary kiruvim from the Rebbe, during the course of his becoming more observant and thereafter, and he experienced many miracles. He devoted himself to many aspects of the Rebbe’s mivtzoim, and, especially, mivtza Moshiach. Following is a story he had with the Rebbe in the late 1980’s, in the beginning of his journey to becoming more observant:
At that time, he was considered a rising star in the Los Angeles fashion business world. He was not yet keeping Shabbos, and, at one point, he decided to start keeping Shabbos. This was a very difficult decision. On a typical Shabbos, he would make $5000-$15,000 (in contrast to $100-$150 a day during the week) and this was a major portion of the weekly sales (as much as 99%). He calculated that if he stopped working on Shabbos, he would be losing over $20,000 a month! But this was very important to him, and, after a lot of thought, he decided to go ahead with it. The business would be closed on Shabbos!
There was, however, one major challenge: To stop working on Shabbos (when he did most of his business) would mean to close his store. This was no small matter. He had a long term lease on the area of the store. This was a huge area that was spread out over an entire block and the cost of canceling the contract would be enormous. To make matters worse, when he began the lease, the landlord warned him that he should understand that this is long term. “Don’t even try to get out of this in the middle”, he warned him, “if you do I will chase after you and find you, wherever you are, and won’t leave you alone”.
He tried to find friends or business acquaintances who would be willing to lease or rent it from him, but he was unsuccessful. Finally, not knowing how to overcome this difficulty, he decided to write to the Rebbe. In his letter, he informed the Rebbe of his decision of stopping to work on Shabbos, and asked for a brocho that he shouldn’t be hurt as a result (by the costs of breaking his lease).
A week later, he received a letter from the Rebbe in reply. In the envelope from the Rebbe, there were 18 dollars (one $10 bill, one $5 bill, one $2 bill and one $1 bill) and a letter in which the Rebbe wrote 3 things: 1) That Shabbos is from sunset until sunset, and this will be a great zechus (this was addressing a consideration he had had that, although he would be closed on Shabbos, he would still work late on Friday night to make up for it). 2) To spread Torah with joy 3) To give to tzedaka in his area.
He decided that he would “take the bull by the horns”, - he would approach the landlord and give him back the lease, and explain that he was a Jew, and couldn’t work on Shabbos, and therefore had to close the store. He didn’t know what the result would be, but he saw no other choice.
When he went to his landlord’s office, however, he didn’t find him there. He went back to his store, and a businessman who he didn’t know walked in and greeted him. R’Ami returned the man’s greeting, and the man said he wanted to buy his property. R’Ami looked at him, puzzled. “In that case”, he said, “you should approach the landlord”. “I was just with the landlord”, the fellow explained, “and he told me that I need to speak to you, because you have a long-term lease on the property”.
“What do you want from me?”, R’Ami asked him, cautiously. “I want to give you money so that you should give up the lease”, was the prompt response! R’Ami wasn’t sure how much to ask for, still astounded by the turn of events, but the man immediately named an amount that was much higher than anything R’Ami would have dared to ask for. With that money, R’Ami bought a house, and started up a new clothing factory!
Shortly thereafter, he was by the Rebbe for dollars, on Sunday, and he told the Rebbe, excitedly, that a miracle happened with the store. The Rebbe laughed, and motioned with his hand (as if to say ‘don’t talk about it’)!
In fact, he subsequently wrote to the Rebbe that he wants to name his company “18th Street” (which, I think, he did), in commemoration of the miraculous 18 dollars that were the vessel for his new start!
Subheading: The Real Miracle and Its Lesson
What was the real miracle here? It seems to me that the main miracle is that the Rebbe didn’t pay attention to his question! The Rebbe disregarded what he asked for, and gave, instead, what the Rebbe chose to give. And in that, I would say, he was a very lucky man.
There are many brochos that may be available for each of us. Brochos in health, in family or in livelihood. Brochos in material matters and/or in spiritual matters. Brochos that are in the greatest abundance, מידו המליאה הפתוחה הקדושה והרחבה of the Eibishter Himself. But sometimes, it may be that in order to actually receive these brochos, it’s necessary for us to ask for them (as we know – also – from the story with the chosid of R’ Motel Chernobyler). And, in those cases, we have to make sure that we know what to ask for.
In this case, R’Ami asked, merely, not to get hurt. So he was, I would say, most fortunate that the Rebbe, it would seem, paid no attention to (the specifics of) his request, and bestowed on him a brocho for something altogether different!
And that’s something we should always bear in mind. We shouldn’t be depending on these miracles; - rather, I think we should be careful with what we’re asking for to begin with. In truth, A Jew who decides to keep Shabbos deserves the world. That’s who the world was created for to begin with, after all, - בשביל התורה ובשביל ישראל. To be satisfied with expecting – and asking for, small change, for not to get hurt, when he should be expecting untold wealth is selling himself short.
And the same goes for each of us. You’re doing the Eibishter’s shlichus in the world, you are transforming the world into a dira lo yisborach. The world was created for you and is there for you. You have to raise your expectations. It’s not enough that you won’t get hurt. That goes without saying, - chas vesholom that a Jew should be hurt in any way. What we need to be seeking, to be expecting, is much more, is brochos ad bli dai, - unlimited hashpo’os from Hashem!
You’re having difficulty paying your mortgage? Don’t daven that you shouldn’t get hurt, that you should find the money to pay the mortgage. Daven rather that the bank should drop the whole mortgage, - after all they only exist for your sake. Or better yet, let them give you the whole bank (you can always put in a Yeshiva, it’s been done before...).
Your landlord is harassing you, threaten to evict you? Don’t daven for פכין קטנים, that you shouldn’t get hurt, that he should leave you alone. Daven, rather, that he should leave you the whole building. After all, it was built for you. You can thank him for caring for it on your behalf until now, but when you’re ready for it, it should make perfect sense for you to get it.
You got stopped by the police (ch”v)? Don’t say “Please, give me another chance, I’ll be more careful in the future”. Say, rather: “Oh, I’m so glad you stopped me, I’ve been hoping to meet you. I’d like you arrange a permit for our upcoming Lag b’Omer parade, and to have the streets closed and get a police escort...”.
[In California, there was once a homeless man, who used to sleep in the lobby of an apartment building. He was a Jewish fellow, who used to “hang out” in the Chabad House in Simcha Monica, where he appreciated the warmth and felt welcome. When he passed away, it emerged that he had left all of his possessions to Chabad. Nobody thought he had anything to give, other than some smelly bags of junk. But it turned out that he was actually the owner of the building! The apartment building in which he slept (on the floor, in the lobby), belonged to him! We have to check if we aren’t too much like that homeless man; - worrying about not getting hurt, about finding a comfortable spot to lay our weary bones, instead using our energies to regain control of our building].
Subheading: Avrohom’s Example and Spiritual Wealth
In fact, this helps us understand a puzzling story in our Parsha. When Avrohom went with Sara down to Mitzrayim, he told Sara, as a precaution, to say that she was his sister. By way of rationale, Avrohom said למען ייטב לי בעבורך, which Rashi interprets as “they will give me many gifts”. The question is obvious (as found in meforshim and in the Zohar, and further elaborated on in Likutei sichos chelek chof): This was a very serious matter. Avrohom’s very life was in danger, as he clearly stated. In order to save his life, the only option seemed to be to put Sara at risk. They needed, it would seem, to daven to Hashem that they should both emerge unscathed. To focus on material gains, at such a time, seems to be ignoring the gravity of the situation (and their most pressing need)? Why was Avrohom even mentioning, at such a time, the material gifts which he would receive as a result?
Perhaps this could be understood in light of the above: Avrohom knew that he is the personal emissary of the One Above to reveal G-dliness in the world. Of course he – and Sara – can’t get hurt. That goes without saying. But it’s inconceivable that the Eibishter put him into this situation just so that he shouldn’t get hurt. There must be much more than that in the plan. It must be למען ייטב לי בעבורך, a means for him to become fabulously wealthy ($900 million...), which is exactly what happened!
We know that everything in the world, and especially the physical stories in the Torah, represent spiritual matters. Likewise, the למען ייטב לי בעבורך, which we learn about in this week’s Parsha, refers also to the spiritual gifts that Avrohom received as a result of his journey with Sara to Mitzrayim. With each of us, as well, the above lesson is applicable also – especially – with regards to spiritual matters:
You go on shlichus, and you have to descend into the figurative Mitzrayim in order to carry out the Eibishter’s plan in the world. The world, Mitzrayim, is a frightening place, fraught with spiritual dangers. And this has special relevance now, coming from zayin mar-cheshvon, when we are all descending from the special spiritual heights experienced over Tishrei, into the mundane days and months of the remainder of the year, in order to carry out the mission of dira batachtonim.
Of course, we know that we are armed and fortified with special kochos, special brochos, to ensure that we can emerge unscathed. But here, too, we need to ensure that we aren’t selling ourselves short. What is your bar? Are you patting yourself on the back because you didn’t stop davening, because you didn’t forget how to read ivre (without nekudos)? That is being content with merely not being – spiritually – hurt!
But, we need to aiming for much more. Just as we can understand that our difficulties are tools to propel us into much greater material circumstances than before, וממנה יושע, so, too, is this the case, and even more so, in a spiritual sense. Our descent into the spiritual boundaries and limitations, our preoccupation with avoda shabirurim and elevating the nitzotzos, is meant to propel us ever higher. As the Alter Rebbe explained (in the Torah Or of last week) – thereafter, when we do daven, we have to be able to attain greater heights. Simply stated, our goal is not just to be safe from (spiritual harm), but to become ever better and better – to become fabulously wealthy – in our avodas Hashem.
And the same is true with regards to limud haTorah: Our expectations need to be for למען ייטב לי בעבורך in our learning Torah. Our challenges, our involvement in transforming Mitzrayim into Eretz Yisroel, should not only not diminish our level of learning, but should bring to נעשים מוחו ולבו זכים אלף פעמים ככה (and – as the Rebbe mentioned on a number of occasions – it is understood from the places where this is discussed that this is without exaggeration)! Our goal, our expectation has to be to reach even greater levels of limud haTorah than before; - greater hasmodoh (in the time that we can set aside to learn), greater enjoyment, and deeper understanding.
A wealthy philanthropist once promised the Rebbe that he would make a large donation to a particular mosad that was dear to the Rebbe. The Rebbe replied: “Large, according to your hasogos (grasp), or according to my hasogos?” We need to aim for למען ייטב לי בעבורך, on a very large scale, according the the Rebbe’s hasogos, and the Eibishter should come through for each of us with the greatest harchovo, on the largest scale, in gashmyus and in ruchnyus!
L’chaim! May we all focus our energies on attaining amazing new heights in our avodas Hashem, and may the Eibishter bestow on each of us the greatest spiritual gifts and the greatest material gifts with the greatest harchovo, and – especially – the greatest and most crucial gift - the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
