As soon as Rav Avrohom Dov’s feet touched the holy streets of the city of Tzefas, the Bas Ayin was excited by the sanctity and asceticism that he saw all around him. This alone, however, was not enough to convince him to stay and take up residence in the city. The following incident is what in fact changed the Tzaddik’s mind and finally convinced him to remain in Tzefas and call it his home:
It was Chol HaMoed Sukkos and the Bas Ayin overheard a conversation that drifted in from the window. This is what he heard:
“Yerachmiel!” called a Jewish mother. “Yerachmiel, my son, come, hurry up and climb up here on the roof with me. Help me roll up and put away all the straw mats in storage from the rain. Soon it will be Shemini Atzeres and all the Jews will gather in the shuls to daven for rain. Hashem heeds the tefillos of His people and will surely send gishmei berocha (rain of blessing) immediately and then all our mats on the roof will be ruined – so hurry, come and help!”
When the Bas Ayin heard this, he was very moved and made a decision to remain in Tzefas, explaining that “any city where the Jewish women were so believing and G-d-fearing, where they had such emuna that when you ask for rain Hashem immediately answers with rain – I wish my portion to be counted among them.” There and then, he canceled his plans to move to Yerushalayim and remained in Tzefas.
