Due to his diabetes, Reb Yitzchok Bensoussan needed a minor procedure to clean the stent in his foot. It was to be a routine procedure; nothing too alarming. During this particular procedure, though, the doctor hit an artery and brought upon uncontrollable bleeding. A procedure that should’ve required only local anesthesia instantly changed to needing general anesthesia. The surgeons quickly obtained the necessary medication, put it under his tongue, and on the spot began to get the bleeding under control.
After the operation concluded and the anesthesia wore off, they informed Reb Yitzchok that he had suffered a minor stroke during the procedure. As a result, his vision had been affected to the point that he couldn’t see anything other than what was right in front of his eyes, and that even that was only fuzzy and barely discernible.
Reb Yitzchok was very distraught. He had been waiting many years for the day that he would be able to retire and spend his last days in Kollel, and now, during his first “Kollel years,” his vision had been taken from him.
On the first day of the new z’man, at 2 PM, his son, Reb Duvi, phoned his mother. “Probably Abba was very disturbed that he couldn’t attend Kollel on the very first day of the z’man.” His mother replied, “Don’t you know your father? He’s a fighter.”
“A fighter? How does that help? If he can’t see, he can’t see. Fighting won’t return his vision!”
“Well, let me tell you. After we finished breakfast this morning, I saw him feeling his way to the front closet and putting on his jacket. I asked him, ‘Are you kidding? How are you going to learn like this?’
“He responded, ‘Don’t worry. Hashem understands. Even if I just sit there not understanding anything, He’ll understand.’
“I thought to myself, ‘If he’s so determined, I’m not going to withhold him.’” Then she handed the phone to Reb Yitzchok.
“Shalom Aleichem,” Reb Yitzchok addressed his son.
Reb Duvi was amazed. “Abba, with all due respect, what were you thinking when you went to Kollel today? You didn’t know that you couldn’t see? Why did you go?”
“Dear son, let me tell you what happened: When I arrived at Kollel, my chavrusa brought me a Gemara. So, there I was, sitting in front of the first page of Mesechta Bava Kamma, unable to see anything. Not words, not letters, not even the page layout — nothing. I turned to Hashem and pleaded: ‘Please let me see the page. I endured this trip so I can learn Your Torah. At least let me see the page.’ Shortly after, the border around the first word of the Mishna became noticeable. I was delighted. I can see!
“Then I pleaded further: ‘Hashem, please allow me to see the words. I didn’t just come for the page; I came for the words.’ Just then, the word Arbaah popped up (the first word of the mesechta). I was so happy. I saw a word! But I wasn’t satisfied with just that. I insisted on more. ‘Hashem, I want to see more!’ After some fervent tears, I suddenly began seeing the word Avos as well.
“I was glad about that too, but the remaining words were still covered by a ton of bricks. I continued davening, and after one minute, the word Nezikin glowed into my eyes. I was staggered. I got through the opening of the Mishna! How exciting!
“I thanked Hashem from the depth of my heart, but I wasn’t going to settle with just that. While thanking Him for what I’d received, I was asking for more. And as I was asking, so I was getting. The more I asked, the more I got. And so it continued. After every word that I went through, I asked for more and more until no word was left buried. The cycle continued until I’d plowed through every word of the Mishna.
“By the culmination of seder, I’d finished the first amud of the mesechta: Gemara, Rashi, and Tosafos. That filled me with unparalleled satisfaction. That’s the story in a nutshell.
Ever since, he was able to learn smoothly like his most inner desire. Everything he had up until that day was a ‘freebie’ from Hashem, and Hashem wanted to see if he’d fight for it, as well. Seeing his perseverance, Hashem enlightened his vision, and he was able to learn many more pages of Gemara.”
