Rav Aryeh Levine
In Jerusalem many years ago, some Jewish stores in a particular area were open on Shabbat. Rabbis and lay leaders tried to convince the proprietors to close their stores before sunset Friday afternoon. Eventually, they were successful with all the storekeepers except one. But no amount of pleading or pressure could get this particular Jewish grocer to close his store. Business was good, and to his mind, profits outweighed any regard he may have had for Shabbat observance.
R' Aryeh Levine heard about the obstinate grocer and was pained that a fellow Jew would willfully desecrate the Shabbat. One Friday afternoon, R' Aryeh dressed early for Shabbat and went to the store. It was well before sunset when R' Aryeh entered the shop. He walked quietly through the shop eyeing the goods on the shelves and watching the brisk flow of customers and purchasers. He sat down on a chair near the back of the store and observed the activity.
The owner recognized R' Aryeh but didn't say anything to him thinking that perhaps the elderly Rabbi was resting and would soon be on his way to shul. As sunset drew near, however, the grocer wondered why R' Aryeh made no effort to go. He began to feel a bit uncomfortable at the great Rabbi's presence in his store so close to Shabbat. The proprietor was busy with his customers, but every once in a while, he would steal a glance at R' Aryeh. Finally, the grocer approached R' Aryeh and said, "Rabbi, I see you have been here for a while already. Can I do something for you?"
R' Aryeh stood up, and after exchanging pleasantries, said to the grocer, "I heard that you keep your store open on Shabbat. I know that others have spoken to you about it, but I wanted to come and see for myself how difficult it is for you to close for the holy Shabbat. Now I know without a doubt how hard it is for you to close and give up so much business. Honestly, I feel for you but what can I say? Shabbat is Shabbat."
The grocer was silent for a moment and tears welled up in his eyes. He said, "My dear Rabbi, you are the only one who took time to come out here to see the situation from my point of view. It means so much to me that you came to my store. Everyone else just criticized me from a distance." Warmly, he shook R' Aryeh's hand and said, "I promise you that I will do what I can to see if I can close the store on Shabbat."
R' Aryeh wished the grocer Shabbat Shalom. Within weeks, the store was closed by sunset every Friday afternoon.
Reprinted from the Parshat Tesaveh/Purim 5786 email of Rabbi David Bibi’s Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace. Excerpted from the ArtScroll book – “Along the Maggid’s Journey.”
