By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

Sometimes, one writes an article that touches a familiar chord with the reader, evoking a memory.

This past week, I wrote about hashavas aveida, the mitzva of returning a lost object. The article prompted my friend and reader, Ruthie Braunstein to email me her personal hashavas aveida story. A story I would like to share.

It was twenty-nine years ago. The week of parshas Ki Seitzei – the parsha which includes the mitzva of hashavas aveida. Ruthie’s husband Josh, was driving down the West Side Highway, and realized that he had to make an important phone call. It was pre-cell phone days, and Josh exited in search of a pay phone (remember those?). He spotted one, parked, and ran to make his call. There, resting on the shelf beneath the phone, he found someone’s planner – another relic of the past. Today, we store all our info, from contacts, to calendar appointments, and “to do lists” on our smartphones. Then, we had “planners” or diaries, with a section to fill in names and numbers (who even had email addresses back then), and another section to record appointments.

Every Shabbos, Josh had the honor of leining the parsha. He was aware that it was the week of Ki Seitzei, and he would be reading about returning what was lost. It was a no-brainer. Josh was determined to locate the owner. How could he not make an effort to return the forgotten planner.

Josh took the planner home with him and made some calls to several numbers found in the book, but no luck.  Josh didn’t give up. Eventually, Josh and Ruthie found the winning clue – “MOMMY” – written on the back page. It had a Florida number. Ruthie was happy and eager to make the call.

Mom picked up and confirmed – yes, she had a daughter living in Brooklyn, and yes, she would be happy to share her number.

She then asked Ruthie a most pointed question. “Why are you making the effort, why are you even bothering?”

Ruthie understood that this was her moment to make a kiddush HaShem. She explained that as an Orthodox Jew, she lived a life committed to Torah and following HaShem’s mitzvos, one of which is returning lost property.

Ruthie proceeded to call the daughter who was very much relieved to be reunited with her little book.

Just before Shabbos, Yehudis came to Ruthie to retrtieve her planner, bringing a beautiful bouquet of flowers. They struck up a conversation, and Yehudis explained that ever since she became religious, her relationship with her mother became strained. But when Ruthie explained to Yehudis’ mother how there are mitzvos guiding every aspect of our lives, including returning lost items, she had a new respect and appreciation for living a Torah life.

“Hashev teshiveim l’achicha, you shall surely return them to your brother. (Devarim 22:1) Ruthie and Josh not only merited to return the planner, but helped bind a closer relationship between Yehudis and her mom. To this day, Ruthie and Yehudis keep up with each other, sharing in one another’s simchos.

My mother, the Rebbetzin a”h, taught that the weekly parsha reflects upon our personal lives and what is happening in the world around us. We just have to open our eyes, listen to our messages, and see HaShem’s hand in everything that happens.

This week, we read parshas Ki Savo. “Vehayah ki savo, It will be when you will come.” (Devarim 26:1) The nation is about to enter Eretz Yisroel, the promised land. They are given the mitzva of bikkurim, bringing the first fruit to the kohein.

When offering bikkurim, the donor would recall the nation’s past. The difficult days in Egypt, the people’s crying out to HaShem. “Va’nitz-ak el HaShem, They (the generation in Egypt) cried out to HaShem…, va’yishyma HaShem es koleinu, and HaShem heard our voice…” (Devarim 26:7) The offeror of bikkurim concludes his words by expressing gratitude to HaShem for bringing the nation to Eretz Yisroel, “Eretz zavas chalav u’devash, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Ibid. 26:9)

The power of prayer. A message that speaks to all of us… for who isn’t in need of HaShem’s help.

Elul is HaShem’s gift of time to us. Vanitz-ak, to really cry out, and ask HaShem to answer our personal tefillos, and our prayers for the peace and well-being of our nation. It’s time to daven with all our heart and soul.

There is a well-known chassidic teaching “HaMelech b’sadeh, the King is in the field”.  During the month of Elul, HaShem travels, so to speak, outside of His palace and comes closer to us than any other time of the year. The time is now. HaShem is amongst us, more than ever. Totally accessible, waiting for our tefillos.

My mother would tell a story she heard from her zeide about the Be’er Mayim Chayim, Rabbi Chayim Chernovitz zt”l (1716-1816). The rov had a son that left the path of his father and ancestors. A delegation from the town decided to approach the Be’er Mayim Chayim and tell him that his son must leave, for he was a negative example upon the youth of the community.

It was Chodesh Elul. The group arrived to the rov’s home. They were ushered in, seated and told to wait as the rov was davening.

Suddenly, they heard the rov crying, pleading to HaShem. “HaShem, please find love, kindness and compassion for all of Klal Yisroel. They’re Your children. Please, love them and bless them. And, if you ask, who am I to say this, I will say that I have a son who falls and stumbles on Your path, who sometimes is very distant. But if someone would come and say ‘send him away’, I would fight for my son and not listen.”

Without saying a word, the contingent rose and left the rov’s home.

It’s Chodesh Elul. We turn to HaShem, begging him to forgive and forget. To bentch us with kol tuv, with all that is good. Let’s learn from the Be’er Mayim Chayim. To be accepting. Not to be judgmental. To find love in our hearts for others. In that z’chus, “va’yishma HaShem es koleinu”, as HaShem listened to the voices of our ancestors, we ask Him to listen to our voices today.

Shabbat Shalom!

Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]

This article was written L’zecher Nishmas /In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l