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Weekly Chasidic Story #583 (s5769-18 / 2 Shevat 5769) Lefty Power "Here's all the money, Rabbi; people were happy to have a share in your tefilin outreach efforts." (Connection:Weekly Torah Reading - two of the four mentions of tefilin in the Torah are in parshat Bo.)
Lefty Power
Once, when discussing the effort of persuading other Jews to put on tefilin, Rabbi Levin mentioned that he was at a disadvantage because he is left-handed. "It is awkward, adjusting tefilin made for a lefty on a person who is right-handed," he commented, "because the straps and knots must be positioned differently." "Why don't you just get a separate right-handed pair for your outreach purposes?" asked Howard. "Tefilin are expensive," the rabbi replied candidly. "What does a pair cost?" Howard wanted to know. "Costs vary, but you can purchase a quality pair for about $450." A few weeks later, Howard presented the rabbi with a stack of checks made out to Chabad House. The memo line stated: "toward the purchase of tefilin for outreach," and the total added up to $450. "People were happy to have a share in your tefilin outreach efforts, Rabbi," explained Howard. Rabbi Levin was very touched by the gesture and immediately placed an order with a scribe in Israel. Three months later, the tefilin arrived. Rabbi Levin put them in his car, along with a packet of brochures explaining the mitzva of tefilin. A few days later, Howard's daughter called Rabbi Levin urgently. "My father is in the emergency room in the hospital," she said, "We rushed him in with severe chest pains." Rabbi Levin knew it was a serious situation; Howard Butcher was in his eighties and had a heart condition. He quickly drove to the hospital. "As we speak I am having a heart attack," Howard said with a wry smile, "They gave me medication for the pain, but not for the heart because they want to do a second EKG during the attack." "How soon will the test be done?" inquired the rabbi. "Right now." Rabbi Levin asked Howard if he had put on tefilin that morning. Howard shook his head. "Well," the rabbi said encouragingly, "you will be the first one to put on the tefilin you sponsored!" He quickly approached one of the doctors. "Can I please have a minute with the patient before you proceed with the EKG?" The doctor got busy setting up equipment and told the rabbi that he really needed to do the test immediately. "Just two minutes?" Rabbi Levin implored. "All right, but only two minutes." The doctors and nurses left the cubicle and closed the curtains. Rabbi Levin had the new pair of tefilin with him. He quickly put them on Howard's head and outstretched arm. As soon as the rabbi left, the doctors and nurses swarmed back and the second EKG was administered. The hospital cardiology team reviewed the scroll of result. The note on the doctor's printout stated: "Attack arrested without any intervention." One of the cardiologists had been a yeshiva student in his youth. He modified the note to read: "Attack arrested without any medical intervention." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Excerpted from "Excuse me, are you Jewish?" (Emet Publications) by Malka Touger]. Connection: Weekly Torah Reading - two of the four
mentions of tefilin in the Torah are in parshat Bo. ~~~~~~~~~~~
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Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them
live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.