Our actions have long and far-reaching repercussions – both good and bad.
Many years ago, the Rosh Yeshivah of the Philadelphia Yeshivah, Horav Eliyah Svei, zl, was in New York with his family. New York to Philadelphia is not a long trip. When one must take public transportation, however, it can be pricey – especially if a number of tickets must be purchased.
The local train was $12.00 one way. It was slow and made numerous stops, so they would arrive in Philadelphia later than they wanted. Amtrak had a train that was more convenient, but also very expensive: $70.00.
They decided that all would travel by bus except for one son, who would take the train. This way, he could arrive in yeshivah for the last fifteen minutes of shiur, class. When they asked their father why he was spending $58.00 for a mere fifteen minutes of shiur, the Rosh Yeshivah explained, “I do not want it to be recorded in Heaven that I refused to spend $58.00 for fifteen minutes of shiur.
“I do not know what the schar, reward, is for fifteen minutes of Gemorah shiur, but I do know that if I do not spend the extra money, then all the schar I will ever get for fifteen minutes of Gemorah is $58.00. I am not willing to exchange my Heavenly reward for a few dollars.”
Not only does this show the Rosh Yeshivah’s gadlus, greatness, it gives us a perspective on the far-reaching echos of our actions.
Reprinted from the Parshas Shoftim 5784 edition of Peninim on the Torah.
