Since the moment of Matan Torah, when Torah descended to Klal Yisrael and forever changed the world, we belong to a nation that has sacrificed time and again for Toras Hashem. Throughout the ages, we have been moser nefesh to keep the flame of Torah alive. 

I want to share two short stories that really brought this home to me. One is about a mother’s mesiras nefesh for Torah. The second is about a boy’s mesiras nefesh for the kavod of a friend that was really an unexpected kavod HaTorah.

Buckle up and listen! 

The Widow’s Engagement Ring

The year 2008 was a difficult one. The stock market had crashed, and with it, so many people’s fortunes. Hundreds of well-off people had become paupers overnight. This was a very trying time for many people and an especially trying time for schools, shuls, and Jewish institutions that rely on the generosity, funding, and goodwill of Klal Yisrael.

One particular elementary school in New York City was having a very difficult year. Phone call after phone call came in from its main supporters saying that this year they would not be able to fulfill their pledges. “After the crash, we simply cannot give anything right now.”

The school’s governing committee had to take the step that they never imagined. The notes went out to the teachers that any child who was not up to date with tuition simply would not be allowed back into class until payments had been arranged. 

Rabbi Greenblatt was not ready for the note and the letters that he had to hand out to 4 talmidim that Thursday morning – especially as one of the boys in his 4th-grade class was sweet Yossi Mandell. 

Yossi was no ordinary boy. He was a sweet, quiet boy whom everybody loved. And, as Rabbi Greenblatt knew only too well, Yossi was an orphan. His father died when Yossi was a young boy of 5. Yossi lived at home with his mother and sisters in a small rented apartment not far from school.

With a heavy heart, Rabbi Greenblatt handed the white envelopes to the five poorest boys in the class. No one understood what it was about, but the look in their rabbi’s eyes made the children realize that something sad was happening. “Boys, please put your books in your bags and take these envelopes home to your parents.” Rabbi Greenblatt looked sadly out the window as he saw four small figures make their way out of the school yard.

Yet no one was more surprised than Rabbi Greenblatt when the 4th-grade  talmidim lined up after their lunch recess. At the back of the line stood a nervous Yossi! The boys filed into the class, and Rabbi Greenblatt motioned for Yossi to come over. After all, rules are rules.

“What are you doing here?” whispered the Rav to his talmid. “Didn’t you give the letter to your mother?”

Yossi froze. He couldn’t say anything. He pointed to his school bag. The Rav picked up Yossi’s school bag and tried to move it towards the door when something fell out and rolled on the floor.

The Rav heard a clink and looked down. Lying on the floor was a widow’s engagement ring with a note attached. “I prefer the Torah of Your mouth over thousands in gold and silver. Please accept this ring in place of the tuition that I owe for Yossi for this school year.”

Wow! Now that is mesiras nefesh. I imagine that today in the Mir there is a young man named Yossi with extraordinary appreciation of Torah learned from his mother. I have no doubt that the school returned the ring, but the message of the mother’s willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Torah stayed with the talmidim.

The Reason for the Reverse-Hagbah

The second story is also about mesiras nefesh but of a different kind. 

A few years ago, there was a young man in New York who was an outstanding talmid chacham, someone who at a young age was already paskening, leading, and showing signs of inner greatness. At a certain point, this young talmid chacham was tested by Rav Yochanan Wosner Shlit”a, the Sqverer Dayan and world-renowned posek. The young man was beyond exceptional. 

Rav Wosner, who is a very perceptive person, felt that there was something special going on. “Could I please meet with your father?”

A few days later, Rav Yochanan Wosner met this young posek‘s father. 

“Can I ask you a question?” asked Rav Wosner in the middle of the conversation. “Was your son always like this? Was he always a diligent masmid? Did he always have such a clear understanding of the sugyos?”

“It is so interesting you ask,” the father responded. “The truth is that no, my son was not always so focused, and he didn’t always understand.”

“So what happened? What made him suddenly take off?” the Rav asked.

“About 7 years ago my son was still in yeshiva. A big yeshiva. He was a wonderful talmid but not so special in learning, definitely not in the top of the shiur. One Thursday morning he was called up for hagbah after Krias HaTorah. My son went up and did what is called a “reverse-hagbah” – the hagbah that we only do on Simchas Torah.  Everyone was shocked at first, and then the smiles and snickering began. Very soon, the reverse-hagbah became the talk of the yeshiva. Hilarious. Another one of his antics. 

The rosh yeshiva, who was also present, asked one of his gabaim to call my son after breakfast. My son went into the rosh yeshiva’s office.

“Why did you do it?” the rosh yeshiva asked. He was not angry. He was simply bewildered. 

My son looked down at his shoes. At first, he didn’t want to tell. But after a few moments, he looked up and simply said, “Does the Rosh Yeshiva remember who was called up for shlishi? It was Yankele, the boy with a terrible stutter. He took 5 minutes to read the bracha before shlishi and another 5 minutes for the bracha after shlishi. 

I could see so many bachurim trying to hold back frustrations and smiles, and I knew I had to think quickly. I had to find something that would divert everyone’s attention so that no one would remember Yankele’s shlishi and would only remember me. 

So I did a reverse hagbah. And it worked. No one remembers shlishi any longer!”

The rosh yeshiva started to cry. My son had shown that he had the sensitivity to be someone who people needed. And from that day on all the wellsprings of wisdom opened up to him.

Chazal teach us that kindness and truth atone for sins, that mesiras nefesh of Klal Yisrael has to be on both levels – for limmud HaTorah and for Klal Yisrael.

Hakodesh Baruch Hu looks for our mesiras nefesh. Let’s try to bring Him nachas ruach.