The Chofetz Chaim (also known as “the Kohain Gadol”) heard that a bochur was caught smoking on Shabbos and asked to speak to him.
The boy was afraid of what the Chofetz Chaim would say to him, and he was prepared for a lengthy rebuke with a lot of angry yelling.
Nobody heard what the Chofetz Chaim said to him, but that boy was never mechallel Shabbos again.
Years later, he revealed what took place.
“I was prepared to be yelled at, but that didn’t happen.
Instead, the Chofetz Chaim sat me next to him at his table.
He grasped my hands in his and held them firmly and said one word, ‘Shabbos.’
He repeated that word again and again as tears began streaming down his face. ‘Shabbos!’ he sighed, ‘Shabbos.’”
“Had I tried to remove my hands I would not have been able to, for I felt paralyzed.
One of his holy tears fell onto my hand and I could feel the searing heat of the tzaddik’s concern for me and the Holy Shabbos.”
Absent-mindedly rubbing his hand, the man continued, “I can still feel the burning of that tear on my hand. It was at that moment I vowed never again to hurt this tzaddik by desecrating the Shabbos. It is too holy, and apparently, the sage of Radin felt that I was too holy, as well.”
Parshas Parah represents a chance for new beginnings for all of us. As we clean for Pesach, we can clean up our acts as well and reconnect with G-d.
