Shemaryahu Yankelowitz (not his real name) relates the following:
I have three wonderful children. I sent them to a specific Talmud Torah with the thought that this institution was suitable for them, but as time went on, it became clear that it was not. There are foreign winds blowing in this institution, children of all types and levels learn there, and I suspected that my children would be negatively influenced. I sat with my wife, and we thought about what to do. We connected one fact to another, we brought up the difficulties and our suspicions, one by one, and the conclusion was clear: We would move our children to a better Talmud Torah, and the sooner the better. The Talmud Torah we then chose was truly excellent. Children from the very best families learn there. “I want our children to have friends like these,” my wife said, “so that our children will grow up to be like them.”
We were in total agreement about our children’s Talmud Torah. Only one “small” issue remained: The menahel had yet to inform us that they were accepted.
We are a young family, not well-known, and not connected to the specific type of families who send their children to this Talmud Torah. What were the chances that they’d agree to accept our three children, especially after they’d learned in that other Talmud Torah that was so vastly different?
I knew that through natural means, there was no chance, so I turned directly to the chief Menahel – Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Who teaches Torah to His nation Yisrael. I went to Har Hamenuchos and davened near the tziyun of Mori Verabi zt”l. I asked Hakadosh Baruch Hu to have pity on me and my children, because I desired to do His will, to be mechaneich my children that He’d given me, to serve Him and to learn His holy Torah in purity. I begged that my children would be easily accepted into the Talmud Torah. After a long hour of davening I went back home, ready and prepared for the next hishtadlus – calling the menahel of the Talmud Torah.
The next day I called the Talmud Torah and asked to speak to the menahel. “What can I do for you?” he asked respectfully.
“My name is Yankelowitz, and I want to transfer my three sons into your cheder.”
“B’imchah rabbah,” The menahel answered. “I’m waiting for you in the office.” I went to his office, and the menahel asked me for the exact age of every child. “This child will go into Rav Cohen’s class, this child into Rav Levy’s class, and this one into Rav Yisraeli’s class.”
With that the conversation ended, and my wish had been granted. Starting the following day, the children would be going to the Talmud Torah where we wanted them to be.
I was totally amazed by the way things had worked out. It seemed very strange that the menahel did not even call us for an interview, did not ask to see the children or test them; but as you know, when our plans don’t work out we ask “Why?” but when good things happen we do not. I’ve never heard anyone say, “I don’t know why Hashem is doing this to me – why am I succeeding in making a generous parnassah?” or, “Why are my children bringing home tests with grades in the nineties?” People ask questions only when something doesn’t succeed for them.
I thanked Hashem, and as far as those questions that nonetheless arose in my heart – I quieted them down. If you are given something good, take it. Don’t ask questions.
A few days later, I found out how my children had slipped so easily into the Talmud Torah I wanted. A week after my children started learning in that Talmud Torah, a call came into the office there. “Hello, this is Yankelowitz. I want to put my children into the Talmud Torah.”
“Classes are full,” they told him, “and besides, it’s impossible to take in children in the middle of the year.”
“But the donor told me that he spoke to you and got your approval...”
Indeed, one of the big donors to the institution had spoken to the principal about Yankelowitz and asked him to accept them into the Talmud Torah. When I called, the principal thought this was the Yankelowitz he had spoken about. It did not enter his mind that I was some other unknown Yankelowitz, and he accepted my children because of the sponsor’s request!!
It was incredible hashgachah pratis that I had called right after the donor’s recommendation, and before the actual Yankelowitz he had spoken about called.
Ultimately, the children of the other Yankelowitz, who had the high connections, were also accepted into the cheder.
But I ask you, is there such a thing as a “simple” Jew? That other Yankelowitz placed his trust in the recommendation of the wealthy man, who, with all due respect, is only a human being, while I trusted in the One Who supervises everything, davened to Him and asked of Him, and indeed, we had protektzia like only Hakadosh Baruch Hu Himself could make. No one else can create protektzia like Hashem!
