In this week's parsha we read about the commandment to recite the blessing after we eat a meal. This is one of the only biblically commanded blessings that we make as almost all other blessings we make are instituted by the Sages.

There is an incredible story that R'Elimelech Biderman related about an incident that occurred a few years ago.

Many may remember the tragic deaths of 45 people on Lag Ba'Omer in Meron. One of the men who were killed in that accident was Menachem Zegbach who was a young married man. At the shiva for R'Zegbach his father related that when Menachem was 16 years old he took it upon himself to always recite the blessing after meals from a "bentcher", not by heart. This was something he was steadfast about and his family decided that they would distribute bentchers and ask people who came to make a shiva visit to take upon themselves the same commitment in memory of R'Menachem. 

One of the many people who visited and took upon himself this commitment was a young scribe. This young scribe was experienced in writing Torah scrolls and a few months after this commitment he had finished writing a Torah and was looking for another client who he could write for. He took a sample of his writing to a local merchant who buys and sells Torah scrolls (or matches people who want a Torah scroll written with an available scribe). When the merchant inspected his sample he told the young scribe that it is evident that he has experience and he has a nice writing but the "finishing touches" on his letters are of very poor quality and he would not be able to match him with anyone. The scribe, feeling a bit dejected, went to buy a sandwich to eat and went back to his "office" which was a shared space which many scribes used to write. He was about to wash his hands and start eating and then he realized his commitment to always bentch from a bentcher. He began to search the office for some bentcher or prayer book, but he couldn't find one. He was about to violate his commitment but decided he would check on more time. He climbed up and check on the top of a closet and he found a bentcher which was actually written by a scribe who had left it in the office. The scribe washed his hands, ate and then bentched. When he finished bentching he examined the handwriting of the scribe and realized that this scribe had exceptional "finishing touches" on his letters. The young scribe decide that he would copy the same technique and incorporate the "finishing touches" in his own writing as well. The scribe sat down and wrote an entire column of a sefer Torah using this new technique. When he finished he received a phone call from a friend of his. The friend told him that a number of wealthy people have decided to donate money to write 45 sifrei Torah one in memory of each of the people killed in Meron on Lag Ba'Omer. He asked the young scribe if he had a sample writing he could bring to show them and he confirmed that he did and could bring it over right away to inspect it. He took his newly written work and when he showed it to them they commissioned him on the spot to write one of the 45 sifrei Torah.

When he finished writing the Torah scroll the made a big ceremony and it was then he realized that the sefer Torah he was commissioned to write was in memory of none other than Menachem Zegbach Z'L.

May these words be a merit for a speedy recovery for Miriam bas Gittel.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath