In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin)

This week we will read the Ten Commandments in shul and the first of the Ten Commandments is " I am Hashem your G-d, who took you out of the land of Egypt".

The commentators explain that this is the commandment to have belief and faith in G-d. This commandment from the simple understanding of the verse, is connected to the redemption from Egypt. Why in fact does the verse describe our understanding or faith in G-d as the G-d who took us out from Egypt? This is to teach us that it is not enough to believe that there is a Divine origin to the world, but that G-d is the constant life force and is the only power which has complete control over everything. It is this aspect which is much more difficult for us to realize. This control and sovereignty was clearly revealed to all when G-d Redeemed the Jewish People from Egypt with astounding miracles that broke all laws of nature.

R Elimelech Biderman tells a story of a shul in Monsey, NY. The congregation decided to remodel the shul and people gave generously to the effort to build a beautiful new shul. They decided that now that the shul was brand new they should also check the sefer Torah and make sure it is just as beautiful as the shul itself. They called in an expert scribe to check the Torah and make any necessary repairs.The scribe was astonished to see the Torah which had many flaws that required repair. He told the gabbai that the repairs would cost $5000 as it was hours upon hours of work to make the sefer Torah kosher again. The gabbai told him that they would only pay $500. The scribe was at a loss for words, but he told the gabbai it was too much work and he wouldn't be able to do it for that price. As he left he called his friend who is also a scribe and related to him the story. His friend said to him that they can't leave the shul without a kosher sefer Torah and they should both agree to work on it together to fix the Torah for whatever the gabbai would pay. They felt a responsibility to make sure there was a kosher sefer Torah there. They agreed that they would take upon themselves jointly this great mitzvah and the two spent hours taking turns over the next few weeks to fix the Torah. They finally finished the Torah and presented it to the gabbai. As they drove home late that night, one of them needed the restroom. They couldn't find any place to stop except for a non-Jewish cemetery which was open as they were conducting a funeral. The two men went in and the guard stopped them and asked them strangely for all sorts of personal information before letting them in. They gave him their information, went in and when they were finished left and were on their way.

The next day they were both called and summoned to court. They had no idea what this was all about but they complied with what they were told. They proceeded to the courthouse and they were asked if they were in the cemetery last night at that particular time. They responded in the affirmative and then the judge told them that their information was taken because the funeral which was taking place was of a very wealthy man who had no heirs. He wrote in his will that whoever is at his funeral should receive a portion of his assets. The judge told the men that each one of them were therefore going to receive $62,000.

Not only were these G-d Fearing scribes rewarded for their tremendous mitzvah in the world-to-come but Hashem also paid them in this world too.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath