Mr. Reiser was suffering in silence. Only some close family and immediate friends knew about the rare sickness he was battling. He went to medical treatment every few days in the hope that he’ll be able to resume to his everyday life — being there for his children, going to daven in shul, and attending his regular shiurim — but his sickness just lingered.
At the same time, the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva fell ill and was in need of rachmei Shamayim. An asifa was quickly formed between the Mirrer Yeshiva talmidim, but due to coronavirus, it was held via the telephone. Many Mirrer alumni joined the asifa, which featured the Mashgiach, Reb Ezriel Erlanger, followed by Tehillim of Reb Lazer Ginsberg.
In his short presentation, the Mashgiach recalled what his father-in-law, Reb Shlomo Wolbe, would say when speaking at an atzeres tefilla: He would numerate many good middos that the choleh contained, and how much of a positive impact he had in particular on his friends and on the yeshiva as a whole. “By awakening the good effects and the positive outcomes from the choleh, we awaken the rachamim of Hashem, which advocates on his behalf. The more we embark on this, the greater saneigar we get for him” (see Sanhedrin 101a).
The Mashgiach went into great length about the great hakaras ha’tov that the yeshiva has for the Rosh Yeshiva, and how we owe him all we have. The asifa continued with the thunderous Tehillim of “Reb Lazer,” bringing the olam to daven with all their koach.
One Mirrer talmid, Tzvi, was particularly moved by the words of the Mashgiach. He knew how badly his good friend, Mr. Reiser, needed a yeshua. Tzvi decided that he would implement this without anyone knowing – b’tzina. From that day on, on his return trip from his Daf Yomi shiur, he went out of his way to pass Mr. Reiser’s house to have an ayin tova on him.
Five weeks passed, and Tzvi met Mr. Reiser walking down the street. Tzvi was animated to see his old-time friend walking home from shul — something he hadn’t seen in many months. Tzvi welcomed him with a “Baruch rofei cholim” and an embracing hug. Mr. Reiser returned the greeting and updated him with the most recent part of the journey:
“After several doses of treatment, I was sent (from LA) to New York to be operated by a class-of-his-own surgeon. B”H, the surgery was a success, and I began feeling better, but soon after, other ailments began to creep up. I began seeking alternative ways to hit the issue at its root, but all I got was bare bark. At that time, I was taking over 80 pills every day, but I still wasn’t seeing any results.
“Four weeks ago, my wife was chatting with your wife about unrelated things, and she coincidentally mentioned a professional who specializes in a wholesome medical approach. My wife thought to herself that it would be nice if it would be the right shaliach to heal me, but after trying so many things, she wasn’t really into trying yet another dead end. She took down the number anyway, though with no intention to reach out.
“The better got ahold of her, and she reached out to the professional, and I went to meet him. Within two weeks of following his protocol, I had gained enough koach to get back to my avodas ha’kodesh and have only been seeing progress ever since.” Mr. Reiser then expressed the deep hakaras ha’tov he had to Tzvi’s wife’s advice and thanked him for being the right shaliach for his refua shleima.
It was then that Tzvi told Mr. Reiser the other half of the story: “For the last five weeks, I’ve been passing your house and placing on you an ayin tova. Every night on the way home from our Daf Yomi shiur, I pass by and focus on the many positive character traits you have in the hope that it’ll bring down rachamim on you.”
Mr. Reiser was shocked with what he was hearing. His friend had been placing an ayin tova on him over the last five weeks, and one week after, his wife had been the shaliach to send them the professional who brought about his refuah — all without Tzvi’s awareness. Mr. Reiser was moved to tears.
Hearing the story unfold before his eyes, Mr. Reiser insisted that Tzvi attend his seudas hodaah, since he was such an integral part of the yeshua, but Tzvi refused. “This message must be addressed to the attendees,” Mr. Reiser told Tzvi, “and they must hear it from you.”
Unable to resist the offer, Tzvi attended the seudas hodaah that took place the following week in the local simcha hall. He addressed the audience with this awestriking story and left them with this lifelong lesson: See the good, and it’ll bring down good. Focusing on the maalos of your fellow neighbor will bring upon him bracha. Everyone has endless maalos; it’s only a matter of awareness. By some simple thought, you’ll see it shining before your eyes.
