Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Eichenstein known as Reb Hershele of Ziditchov had no sons, but his four younger brothers and three of their sons were all very special.
Once, a little nephew of his became gravely ill. Everyone in the extended family was praying for him. Nevertheless, his condition grew worse from day to day.
Rabbi Alexander Sender, the Rebbe's brother and the child's father, was distraught. The situation grew so critical that late one night the doctor feared that the end was near.
Devoting the Late Hours of Night
The Rebbe was accustomed to devote the late hours of the night to holy study and prayer. No one ever disturbed the Rebbe when he secluded himself in his attic room, shutting the entire world out of his consciousness to concentrate on his sublime thoughts. But if the Rebbe was not told now, it might be too late.
The Rebbe's brothers, the sick boy's father and uncles, thought and thought. Whom could they send to disturb the Rebbe without incurring his wrath? They finally decided to send young Yehudah Tzvi, the Rebbe's favorite nephew, who later in life also became one of the Rebbe's successors.
With a small lantern in his hand, the lad climbed up the narrow staircase leading to the attic where his uncle secluded himself. When he reached the door, he hesitated and then coughed. The Rebbe heard, rose and went to open the door. "Nu?" he asked.
“I Have Come to Tell You Good News, Fetter”
Little Yehuda Tzvi beamed up at his saintly uncle, his cherubic face aglow. "I have come to tell you good news, Fetter! (uncle). Your nephew is feeling better! But you still must pray for his complete recovery!"
The Rebbe beamed with joy and motioned to the boy to enter his study. He then went over to a cupboard and took out some herbs. He put them in a small paper bag and handed it to the boy. "Tell your aunt to boil this up into a tea and give it to the child while it is still hot. It will make him sweat and he will get better!"
The little boy thanked him and rushed out of the room, down the stairs and straight to his uncle, Rabbi Alexander Sender, with his instructions. The tea was made and given to the patient, spoon by spoon. Within hours he had passed the crises and recovered completely!
The next morning Rabbi Alexander Sender went to his elder brother to tell him that his son had recovered. The Tzaddik looked sternly at him and said, "you can learn a lesson in Chasiddus from your nephew, Yehuda Tzvi. You, with your long face and worried looks, only increased my own anxiety and suffering. But that little boy knew exactly what to do to change my mood to a happy one. And once my spirits were lifted I felt Divine intuition returning to me and I knew at once what to do to bring about the patient's recovery!"
How to Daven to Hashem
Let us take this message in our Avodas Hashem and our prayers. We daven to Hashem and we have a long list of requests. Many time we have terrible suffering that we are enduring. So, we daven to Hashem with pain and tears, from a broken heart. It is a prayer that breaks many barriers.
But there is another sort of prayer which is even more powerful. When we start to daven, let us thank Hashem for all the things He has given us, for His kindness, for our good health and so much more. Then of course we have to add that we still need Hashem’s help for everything else. Such a prayer opens up the gates of gratitude and happiness and therefore is so powerful!
Reprinted from the Parshat Chukat 5784 email of Inspired by a Story by Rabbi Dovid Caro.
