There is an organization in Queens, New York, called Hashiveinu. With devotion and effort, they help bachurim return to the path of Torah and mitzvos.
Once, a renowned rosh yeshiva brought his youngest son to Hashiveinu. With tears in his eyes, this renowned rosh yeshiva asked the director of Hashiveinu to help his son return to the path of Torah. The director welcomed the bachur and promised to do what he could to help him. Indeed, in a short time, the bachur returned to the path of Torah, to the great relief and joy of his father.
The day the bachur was accepted into Hashiveinu, the director told the rosh yeshiva, "I will help your son, but on condition that you first listen to my personal story. I grew up in an area that didn’t have a good cheder. When I became older and went to a yeshiva to study Torah, I was behind all the other bachurim and I couldn’t keep up with the studies.
“I approached one of the good bachurim and asked him to make time to learn with me, so I could understand what was going on. The bachur responded that he didn’t have time for me. He was busy reviewing hilchos Shabbos, and couldn’t take on new projects. I went to another bachur, and his response was similar. I was devastated; doesn't anyone have time for me?
“I decided that I would ask just one more bachur. If he also refuses to help me, I will take that as a sign that yeshiva isn't for me, and I will leave. Do you know who I went to? The person I went to was you! I asked you to learn with me. You smiled welcomingly, and you said you would be glad to learn with me. After learning with you for a short time, I was able to study well in the yeshiva. You did me this favor, and now I will return the favor and do the same for your son."
As the saying goes, what you do for others, you do for yourself. When the bachur in the yeshiva agreed to learn with another struggling bachur, he thought he was helping that bachur, when actually, he was helping himself. Years later, the bachur he helped would become the director of Hashiveinu and be instrumental in bringing his son back to Torah and mitzvos. Had he refused to learn with this new bachur, there would be no Hashiveinu, and then, who knows what would have happened to his son.
Reprinted from the Parsha Eikev 5785 email of Torah Wellsprings: Collected Thoughts of Rabbi Elimelech Biderman.
