Parshas Eikev 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
למען ענתך לנסתך לדעת את אשר בלבבך התשמר מצותיו אם לא ... (ח-ב)
When Hashem wants to bestow favor upon a person, He first prepares a suitable nisayon, a trial is placed before him. Hashem allows one to sense that a hidden reservoir of blessing and success awaits on the other side of the challenge, granting him the inner strength required to stand firm. In this vein, an amazing story is told about the renowned “Chacham Tzvi” - R’ Tzvi Hirsch Ashkenazi zt”l. Born roughly 350 years ago in Moravia, he lived a remarkably vibrant fifty-eight years before his passing in Lviv. His journey was defined by dynamic leadership and continuous wandering. He served as a prominent rabbinical authority across Germany, Amsterdam, London and Poland, while also connecting deeply with Sephardic communities, where he earned the prestigious title Chacham (“Sage”) that remained bound to him forever, and his well-known for his courageous stand during the lingering aftermath of the Shabsai Tzvi movement in Amsterdam. In his youth, the sixteen-year-old prodigy was sent to the great Torah center of Salonika to immerse himself in the Sephardic method of study. It was during these formative years of relentless learning that his life crossed paths with the Rothschild family - a story famous for its earthly conclusion, though few know the quiet drama that unfolded behind closed doors.
At that time, Reb Shimon Anshel Rothschild lived as a modest, devout, and humble oved Hashem. Years before he attained fabulous wealth, each morning following his prayers, Reb Shimon would walk to his modest business - a small warehouse tucked away at the edge of the marketplace - from which he sold his goods to provide a modest living for his family. Beyond his daily labors, Reb Shimon was deeply committed to the mitzvah of hachnosas orchim, hospitality. He opened his home to a young, earnest yeshivah bochur whose very soul burned with a desire for Torah study. Reb Shimon arranged a quiet sanctuary for the youth in his attic and ensured he was provided with warm, nourishing meals every day.
By nature, Reb Shimon was a meticulous and orderly man for whom punctuality was paramount. At dusk, he habitually returned home, set the dining table, and sat down to dine with his children. Yet the diligent student studying up in the attic was routinely late for dinner, often losing all track of time while immersed in his holy studies. This recurring delay disrupted the structured order of the Rothschild household. Seeking a practical remedy without causing offense, Reb Shimon purchased a small hourly chiming clock for the youth’s room, hoping its soft bells would gently remind him of the hour. But the young scholar’s concentration was so absolute that the mechanical chime went entirely unnoticed, and his single-minded diligence continued unabated. Eventually, Reb Shimon felt his patience wear thin and decided the time had come to reprimand the young man directly and put an end to the disruption once and for all. Seeing his rising frustration, his wife gently urged him to exercise restraint and let the matter go. However, unable to master his momentary annoyance, Reb Shimon went to the attic and sternly chastised the young scholar for disrupting the household routine and failing to show up to the family table on time.
The very next morning, a sharp knock echoed at the Rothschild front door. Standing on the threshold was a distinguished delegation bearing an official letter from the rabbinate, formally inviting the young scholar to come and serve as the Chief Rabbi of their city. The humble guest residing in their attic was none other than the young Chacham Tzvi.
Accepting their call, the young sage prepared to leave the home that had sheltered him. Before departing, he turned to his host to offer a heartfelt farewell. He warmly blessed Reb Shimon: “May Hashem grant that, in the merit of the great commandment of hospitality you so lovingly performed, allowing me to labor in the Torah, you and your descendants after you will be blessed with extraordinary, boundless wealth.” Reb Shimon shook his hand and thanked him for the blessing.
Then, lowering his voice, the Chacham Tzvi’s face turned deeply solemn as he looked at his former host. “Know, my dear friend,” the future Gadol Hador said, his voice cracking with emotion, “that it was my deepest wish to also bless your line with generations of extraordinary Torah scholars and righteous leaders. Yesterday, a test was sent from Heaven to see if you were ready to hold such a gift. But to my great regret, in one single moment of impatience, you lost it.” (Lachazos B’Noam Hashem)