Those of you who visit the YeshivaWorld website recently came across an article by Rabbi Pesach Lerner asking people to write to him in prison. How many of you said, "nebech, nebech", and went on with your daily routine? And what percentage of you actually took the time to write a letter and post it to him? I was one of the latter group. The next day after reading Rabbi Lerner's request, a letter was on its way to the Butner prison. The following is what I wrote:
Dear Mr. Pollard,
The day after George Bush left office, I walked into my local kosher butcher store and saw a large sign hanging atop a wall with the words, “Free Pollard Now”. The store’s owner and I began discussing your predicament and expressed our disappointment that President Bush had not granted you a pardon. I would like you to know that you are in the thoughts of thousands of people and we will continue to pray for your release as early as possible.
I understand that there were tehilim gatherings on your behalf. I remember when I once attended a tehilim gathering for someone who was on death’s door. The rebbetzin leading the tehilim recitation, realizing that the situation was dire, didn’t want people to despair if their prayers went unheeded. So she prefaced the recitation with the thought that even if our prayers go unanswered for this man, the tehilim that we were reciting would be reaching Hashem and those prayers would be helping countless other individuals.
I am sure Hashem heard our heartfelt cries on your behalf. Because of you, thousands of Jews united and you have the zechut of bringing myriads to recite tehilim.
Last week, I listened to a shiur by Rabbi Wallerstein on torah.anytime.com. He spoke about a friend of his who worked for the chevra kadisha . Once, someone called him about burying a Russian Jew living in Brooklyn and he had to set about finding a minyan . The wife asked to speak at the funeral as noone else was able to give him a hesped as they didn’t know the deceased. The wife stood in front of the crowd and asked Hashem for forgiveness for being childless. Right after their wedding, they were sent to Siberia. As there was no mikveh, the wife remained spiritually impure for 16 years and the husband didn’t touch her all those years. When I heard that story, shivers ran down my spine. The steadfastness of this couple and their unrelenting pursuit to fulfill the mitzvot was incredible. I wondered why Hashem hadn’t brought the Mashiach already, based upon this couple’s deeds. And then I thought about this man, and how all the righteous souls would be lining up to welcome him in the World to Come. In this world, noone recognized his greatness and a minyan had to be organized on his behalf for the funeral ceremony.
What a warped world we live in, where greatness goes unrecognized and where depravity is revered. I told the story to an acquaintance and she related that there was an uncouth man to whom a great rabbi gave the utmost respect. She stated that the rabbi saw the soul while we only see the superficial.
May the merit of the tehilim recited on your behalf bring the ultimate redemption where moral clarity will be restored and you will be recognized by the great soul which is embodied within.
Sincerely yours,
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