Parshas Vayechi 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Jan 1
- 3 min read
ויאמר ליוסף הנה אביך חלה וכו' ויתחזק ישראל וישב על המטה ... (מח-ב)
Elazar Nissan was the cherished only son of R’ Moshe Teitelbaum zt”l, of Uhjel, the revered author of the Yismach Moshe. From the moment he was born, the child was a source of immeasurable joy to his parents, a living promise of Torah continuity and blessing. The home of the Yismach Moshe was filled with Torah, chassidus, and holiness, and young Elazar Nissan grew up surrounded by the melodies of learning and the gentle guidance of his devoted father. But when the boy reached the tender age of nine, a sudden and frightening illness overtook him. What began as a mild fever quickly escalated into a raging, unrelenting heat that left him weak, delirious, and slipping in and out of consciousness. The doctors who examined him shook their heads gravely. Their remedies brought no relief, and their expressions betrayed the truth they hesitated to say out loud: they saw little hope for the child’s recovery.
In the dimly lit room where the boy lay, the R’ Moshe and his wife kept constant vigil. They whispered Tehillim, their voices trembling, their hearts heavy with fear. Every shallow breath the child took felt like a fragile thread holding him to this world. R’ Moshe, despite his deep faith and towering spiritual stature, felt the crushing helplessness of a father watching his beloved son fade before his eyes. At last, after hours of contemplation and prayer, the Yismach Moshe made a decision. He resolved to send emissaries to Lizhensk, to the kever of the great tzaddik, the Noam Elimelech.
He summoned two devout Jews and explained the mission with great precision. His voice was steady, but his eyes revealed the depth of his desperation. “When you arrive at the beis hachaim,” he instructed, “declare aloud that you vow a neder to give a coin to tzedakah for the sake of whichever neshama will ascend to the Rebbe, Reb Meilech to deliver it.”
The emissaries listened intently, unsure of their mission. “You must understand,” he said, “that in the Olam Haemes, the World of Truth, the merit of a mitzvah is more precious than anything imaginable. When you make this vow, all the neshamos hovering near the tziyun will be stirred. Each one will yearn to be the one to carry the merit of that coin upward, to present it before the Noam Elimelech. They will rush, each striving to be first, to fulfill this unique mitzvah.
“After this spiritual commotion takes place,” concluded R’ Moshe, “you may then approach the tziyun and pour out your hearts in tefillah for my son’s recovery. And one last thing: pay close attention to the exact time you begin to daven. When you return, we will compare it.” The shluchim nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of their mission. Without delay, they set out on the long journey to Lizhensk, their hearts filled with urgency and hope.
Back in Uhjel, the hours passed slowly. The Yismach Moshe remained at his son’s bedside, whispering words of comfort, though the child was barely conscious. The fever raged on, and the room felt heavy with dread. Then, suddenly, sometime later - no one could say exactly how long - the boy stirred. His eyes fluttered open, clearer than they had been in days. With surprising strength, he called out, “Tatty! Tatty!” His father rushed to his side, scarcely daring to believe what he was seeing. The boy’s face, moments earlier flushed and pained, now seemed calm. “Tatty,” young Elazar Nissan said with certainty, “from now on I will get better. I won’t be sick anymore. I will get up from this bed and be healthy again.”
Tears welled in R’ Moshe’s eyes. “My dearest son,” he whispered, “how do you know this?”
The child answered with a simplicity that sent chills through the room. “Because just now, a great Rebbe came to me. He stood right here.” The boy then described, in perfect detail, the appearance of the Rebbe, Reb Meilech - details he could not possibly have known on his own. “He gave me a beracha that I would be healthy from now on.”
The Yismach Moshe’s hands trembled as he checked his watch. Hours later, when the shluchim returned, they reported the exact moment they had stood at the tziyun and offered their heartfelt prayers. The times matched perfectly. The moment the shluchim had cried out to Heaven in the merit of the Noam Elimelech, was the very moment the tzaddik had appeared to the child and blessed him with life. Elazar Nissan recovered swiftly, his strength returning as if the illness had never been. (Tehillah L’Moshe)