Parshas Vaeschanan (Nachamu) 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
ועשית הישר והטוב בעיני ה' למען ייטב לך ובאת וירשת את הארץ הטבה אשר נשבע ה' לאבתיך ... (ו-יח)
The following story was related by the celebrated maggid, R’ Chizkiyahu Yosef Karlenstein shlita: A young secular woman by the name of Shiran lived in Beer Sheva. Her life had become a relentless march of heartbreak and misfortune. Weary, emotionally drained, and sinking into deep despair, she finally unburdened her heart to her colleague Noa. To Shiran’s absolute astonishment, Noa responded not with conventional sympathy, but with a piece of advice that sounded completely absurd: she suggested a journey to Bnei Brak to visit an elderly Rabbanit named Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky a”h, a renowned figure in the Orthodox world, rumored to work wonders. Shiran was appalled at the thought of venturing into an ultra-Orthodox enclave where she felt alienated and expected hostility and judgment. Yet Noa remained steadfast, sharing her own past struggles and explaining how a single, desperate visit to the compassionate Rebbetzin had helped her find the strength to rebuild her life. Seeing Shiran’s deep skepticism and fear of being ostracized, Noa generously offered to accompany her, promising to guide her through the unfamiliar territory and dress respectfully alongside her for the brief trip.
The next afternoon, the two friends set off toward Bnei Brak. Alighting near Rechov Rabbi Akiva, they asked a friendly passerby for directions to Rechov Rashbam. Directed to take the 54 bus, they waited at the stop for fifty long, frustrating minutes until a cluster of buses finally arrived. Boarding one, they took their seats in the back row, right behind a fourteen- year-old yeshivah bochur who was deeply absorbed in a sefer. Seeking reassurance, Noa politely leaned forward and asked if he knew where they should get off for Rechov Rashbam. The teenager, startled and visibly distracted, quickly informed them that their destination was the very next stop. Following his advice, they disembarked, only to look at the bus shelter and realize that they had been dropped off far too early and were still roughly ten stops away. Shiran flew into a tailspin of fury. Convinced that the boy had intentionally misled them out of malice and prejudice against non-observant women, she vented her rage bitterly while Noa quietly tried to soothe her and keep her focused on their purpose.
Eventually, a second bus arrived, bringing an end to Shiran’s tirade and delivering them to Rechov Nechemia. Noa navigated from memory until they reached the Rebbetzin’s building on Rashbam. But just as they approached the entrance, Shiran gasped in disbelief and anger. Standing right there in the stairwell was the very same fourteen-year-old boy who had given them the wrong directions. Seething with indignation, the two women marched inside, expecting a confrontation.
However, before they could unleash their frustration, the boy retreated slightly and asked if they were the women who had questioned him on the bus earlier. When they confirmed their identity, he immediately offered a sincere and humble apology. He explained that after they had gotten off, he realized with horror that he had given them incorrect information. Rather than continuing on to his original destination, he had immediately disembarked, taken a bus to Rechov Rashbam assuming they were headed to Rebbetzin Kanievsky, and waited in the stairwell for half an hour hoping to intercept them. Reaching into his pocket, he handed them the exact bus fare to compensate for their wasted ticket before quietly slipping away.
Stunned into absolute silence by this extraordinary display of integrity, Shiran and Noa stood frozen for a moment before proceeding upstairs to the Rebbetzin’s apartment. When they were ushered inside, the holy woman received them with immense warmth, her eyes overflowing with genuine love and empathy. Shiran unburdened her heart, receiving priceless counsel and a heartfelt blessing, followed by Noa, who also requested a blessing. Before leaving, Shiran could not help but recount the surreal encounter in the stairwell, asking the Rebbetzin if she could explain such unheard-of behavior from a stranger.
Rebbetzin Kanievsky smiled gently and explained that there was nothing strange about it at all. A youth raised on the principles of Torah and refined character is taught to live with absolute honesty, making it second nature to take responsibility for a mistake and make amends beyond what the strict law requires. Turning to Shiran, Noa expressed a profound revelation: a community like this that lived in a world built on truth and integrity was where she wanted to build her own future family.