A Royal Gift

Rav Yisroel Reisman once related the following story, which happened to someone on the west side of Manhattan, and it gives an incredible insight into the requests we ask of Hashem. A wealthy, Jewish individual who lives in one of the tall, prestigious buildings on the west side, was one day going down the elevator of his building.

There was someone else in the elevator with him, and he asked the other fellow why there were so many police cars in front of the building that day. The fellow answered him that he lives in the penthouse of the building, and he is the son of the king of Morocco, and he is a prince. He explained that his father, the king of Morocco was visiting America, and he also came to visit his son that day, and that was why there was a police presence outside the building.

The man couldn't believe what he heard, and the prince asked him if he would like to meet his father, the king, and the man said that of course he would. It is no small thing to meet a king, as there is a Brachah to recite over it. The prince told this man to come over that night at eight o'clock to meet him.

This man happened to have had a son who had just become Bar Mitzvah, and he took his son along with him to meet the king. They went up to the penthouse, were escorted inside, and they met the king of Morocco and spoke with him for a few minutes. The king was very moved by the Bar Mitzvah Bochur, and he asked him a few questions. He asked him how old he was, and the boy answered that he was 13. The king said that he knew that 13 is a special age for a Jewish boy, and the boy said, “Yes, I was just Bar Mitzvah. I am going to Eretz Yisroel to see the Gedolim there and Daven there. It is a week after my Bar Mitzvah.” The visit ended shortly after that, and it was very pleasant.

The next day, this man went to his mailbox to get the mail, and he found that the king had left a check for the Bar Mitzvah boy as a gift. He was completely stunned when he saw that it was written out for $50,000! The father was very embarrassed and he went straight back up to see the prince. He thanked him for the gift, and he said, “I don't know what you think the Jews do for Bar Mitzvah presents. Some people give $180, some will give $360, but we don't give $50,000 gifts to Bar Mitzvah Bochurim.” The prince smiled and said to him, “You don't understand. Bar Mitzvah boys may get $180 gifts, but for the king of Morocco, it is inappropriate to give a gift of anything less than $50,000."

Rav Chaim Kanievsky

This father then went with his son on their trip to Eretz Yisroel, and when he was by Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt'l, he told him what happened with the king of Morocco. Rav Chaim said to him, “Now I understand."

The father was confused and asked what the Rav had understood. Rav Chaim explained, "We say during the Yomim Noraʼim, Avinu Malkeinu Asei Lemancha V’lo Lemaʼaneinu, ‘Our Father, our King, act for Your sake and not for ours!'

Why do we say this? Do we really care if Hashem acts for His Own sake or for ours? What do we mean when we say this?” Rav Chaim said, “We only deserve $180 gifts, but for the Ribono Shel Olam, the King of the world, it is not appropriate to give a less fitting gift. Hashem gives Royal Gifts! That's what we mean when we ask Hashem to give for His sake, that Hashem should give us as is fitting for the King to give a gift, not merely for our sake, or on our level!"

Rabbi Reisman concluded, “Let's take these words and not limit what we ask for, because Hashem is listening in these days of mercy, where our Tefilos and requests are answered, and we can ask Hashem for everything because Hashem does everything for us!"

Reprinted from the 5787 Yom Kippur email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg's Torah U’Tefilah.