A person related that at the age of eighty-six, his mother’s health began to decline; her sight and hearing diminished greatly, and she suffered many yissurim. She fell into a depression and lost the will to live.
This person went to his rebbi, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, and asked him what to say to try to strengthen his mother. Rav Yaakov replied that when Yaakov Avinu was fighting the malach, the malach told Yaakov to release him, for it was his time to sing to Hashem (Bereishis 32:25-27).
Rav Yaakov explained that we do not know exactly what is needed to sustain a malach, yet we know that the angels were formed during the six days of creation. And thus, for this one day that the malach would sing to Hashem, it was worthwhile for Hashem to sustain him for 2,000 years!
Said Rav Yaakov, “You must therefore share with your mother that when she says one Amein, or one kappitel of Tehillim, or one berachah, it is worthwhile for Hashem to sustain her for 2,000 years!” We have no idea of the indescribable value that one moment of tefillah has to Hashem, and even one single Amein!
The talmid relates that his mother thought about these words repeatedly until she truly absorbed them; and the chizuk from Rav Yaakov sustained her for another ten years!
Reprinted from the At the ArtScroll Shabbos Table for Parshas Eikev 5783. Excerpted from the ArtScroll book “25th Hour” by Rabbi Dov Keilson.
