It was fifteen years after R’ Zidell was diagnosed with dementia. His disease wasn’t allowing him to conduct his affairs as he once had. For decades, he’d been waking up at the crack of dawn, learning a several-hour seder until 7:30, and then making his way to the 8:00 Shacharis at the Tenka shul in Boro Park.
Several months before his petirah, R’ Zidell was visited by his grandchildren and great grandchildren too. His grandson asked him how he was feeling, to which he responded, “Baruch Hashem,” with a heartwarming smile.
One grandchild, Baruch, knew what was really cooking. He knew how his grandfather really felt about no longer being able to attend his usual minyanim he so much liked. He was thus a bit shocked at how R’ Zidell had responded “Baruch Hashem” despite all that.
“It’s good to be alive,” continued R’ Zidell. “If we are alive, we must be appreciative and thankful for Hashem always returning our neshama. There’s nothing that we can complain about!!”
Baruch was overtaken by the words he was hearing. R’ Zidell was an old-time student of Yeshivas Chaim Berlin, and he more or less had nothing to his Olam Hazeh. He was barely eating due to the side-effects of some of his medicines, and his regular sedarim were now very minimal. Of friends, too, he had nothing, yet he remembered “dai la’adam she’hu chai — it suffices that one’s alive.” With that mindset, he was always upbeat, and whenever he was asked how he was doing, he responded that he is doing great.
