Who Are The Kings?A number of kings - “Rabbanim are kings” – have gathered together. Jewish royalty is meeting in one place, with one common goal, their hearts beating in unity. What is the occasion?

“If Kupat Ha’ir needs it – of course I’ll do it! Kupat Ha’ir must be indulged.” This was the response of Maran Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit”a, when Kupat Ha’ir asked him to attend a meeting to mark the end of the fiscal year of 2006.

Kupat Ha’ir Must Kupat Ha’ir Must Be IndulgedBe IndulgedKupat Ha’ir is the “kings’” “bas

yechidah,” their “only daughter”.

When it comes to an only daughter, a young, deeply admired bas

zekunim, everyone’s heart melts. Even the exalted king, preoccupied with important royal affairs, takes time out of his schedule to amuse

himself with his one and only special daughter.

When it comes to an only daughter, all the rules change. All doors open; schedules are rearranged. The only daughter sits in her father’s lap.

The Rabbanim indulge Kupat Ha’ir like an only daughter.

They give of their time, they attend its meetings, sit in its offices and take an interest in the goings on between its walls. They delight in hearing about its activities and practices.

It begins like an ordinary board meeting. The end of a fiscal year requires that the members of the board sign the balance sheet to confirm that everything reported in it is true and accurate. The signature serves as a declaration to the legal authorities that everything that was done throughout the year in the organization was done with the full knowledge of its board members.

The Gedolei Hador prepared to attend this meeting as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The Kings HaveHave GatheredGathered

מרנן הגר"ש הלוי וואזנר והגר"ח קנייבסקי שליט"א

מרנן הגר"ש הלוי וואזנר והגר"נ קרליץ שליט"א

מרנן הגר"ש הלוי וואזנר והגרמ"י ליפקוביץ שליט"א

מרנן הגראי"ל שטיינמן והגר"ח קנייבסקי שליט"א

Self-UnderstoodSelf-UnderstoodAs if there was no seder and no shiurim. As if they didn’t have dozens of urgent important matters to see to, as if the needs of the klal were not like a millstone around their necks, as if all of Klal Yisrael didn’t have their eyes upon them. As if this meeting was something that had existed for generations, part of the annual schedule. Everything was moved aside - pushed up or postponed - to accommodate it.

There was a board meeting, after all!

The large room falls silent all at once. Even the large sign on the wall reading Asifas Maranan Verabanan – Chavrei Ha’amutah (board members) freezes in its place. Seated at the long table are Maran Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevy Wosner, shlit”a; Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlita; Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lifkowitz, shlit”a; and Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a. Each of them takes a pen and without a second’s hesitation, adds his signature.

A signature!

No one had foreseen this.

Half a year earlier, when the headlines blared the news that the Gedolei Hador had become members of the boards in the Kupat Ha’ir organization, people

were astonished, taken aback, amazed, astounded – and somewhat puzzled. Didn’t the Gedolei Hador have with what to occupy their precious time, that they had to take on formal jobs such as being board members in an organization? People considered the step to be an incredible indication of the Gedolim’s unstinting faith in Kupat Ha’ir, as well as of their burning desire to transmit their personal opinion of the organization to the entire nation. But lema’aseh, practically speaking, no one thought the matter had any real significance. After all, no one seriously thought that the Rabbanim would actually take the time to look over documents, sign reports, attend meetings and the like!

But that is exactly what happened on Sunday, 23 Shevat.

The Board MeetingThe Board MeetingAfter each of them had reviewed a copy of the fiscal report in his own home, the Gedolei Hador gathered for a “board meeting” noted in the protocol. Part of their job as members of the board is to provide their signature to confirm the accuracy of the balance sheet for the fiscal year of 2006.

“And the entire nation saw.”

Have

Gathered

It was no ordinary event, the gathering of so many Gedolim in one place. Each of the Gedolim has his own busy schedule and responsibilities and his own learning schedule, which takes priority over everything else. But the public has already learned that there are some things that take precedence over everything else and that the Gedolim will do for Kupat Ha’ir what they would not consider doing for anyone else. They’ve attended emergency meetings and historical conventions and gatherings galore to express in the most powerful way possible their support for Kupat Ha’ir.

Still, there’s a difference between public meetings held for the purpose of transmitting da’as Torah to the entire nation and a board meeting!

An ordinary board meeting. A meeting for the purpose of reviewing and signing documents. It was for just such a meeting that they gave of their time, rearranged their schedules and attended.

Why? Why? Why?

The Only Daughter The Only Daughter Because the Gedolei Hador think of Kupat Ha’ir as their “only daughter.”

Maran Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit”a, said so explicitly: “I do not envy those who work for the klal, despite the fact that it is written that Hakadosh Baruch Hu repays them for their efforts. People who are involved in klal work must wage so many battles; there is so much negi’us; so many politics. But with Kupat Ha’ir, it’s different. Kupat Ha’ir I envy!”

How many pairs of eyes grew moist upon hearing the Gadol Hador speak so lovingly about Kupat Ha’ir? How many hearts pounded with emotion when he said, “Kupat Ha’ir is different from all other public activism”?

It wasn’t a speech that Harav Wosner delivered at that board meeting, not an address or a lecture. He simply spoke from the heart, expressing his innermost feelings. He was enjoying an hour of pleasure with his one and only special daughter, the organization he helped establish. He was reveling in the fact

that everything there is conducted with complete e integrity. He was a proud father indeed.integrity. He was a proud father indeed.

Maran, shlit”aMaran, shlit”a, spoke about the Kupat Ha’ir volunteers, , spoke about the Kupat Ha’ir volunteers, who fulfill the Rabbanim’s instructions to the tee who fulfill the Rabbanim’s instructions to the tee and do much “dirty work” with incomparable loyalty, and do much “dirty work” with incomparable loyalty, purely for the sake of the mitzvah, with no external purely for the sake of the mitzvah, with no external considerations.considerations.

“I know that I am very involved in answering their “I know that I am very involved in answering their questions on various questions on various matters. Their intentions matters. Their intentions are are l’shem Shamayiml’shem Shamayim, , and that is why they are and that is why they are accompanied by special accompanied by special siyatta diShmayasiyatta diShmaya – – siyatta siyatta diShmaya diShmaya of theof the mitzvah mitzvah itself anditself and siyatta diShmaya siyatta diShmayaof those whose dealings of those whose dealings are carried out with are carried out with integrity,” he said.integrity,” he said.

Harav Wosner then Harav Wosner then blessed them with warm blessed them with warm

words, words that were a balm to the troubled souls words, words that were a balm to the troubled souls of these hard workers whose hearts break every of these hard workers whose hearts break every day at the sight of indescribable day at the sight of indescribable tzarostzaros, distress and , distress and tragedy.tragedy.

But Hara Wosner did not merely give them his own But Hara Wosner did not merely give them his own blessing.blessing.

A Basket Full of BlessingsA Basket Full of Blessings“We hereby give you the “We hereby give you the zechuszechus of thousands upon of thousands upon thousands of needy people who have been helped thousands of needy people who have been helped through you. In addition… all the blessings and through you. In addition… all the blessings and successes and prayers of those who have seen successes and prayers of those who have seen yeshuosyeshuosvia Kupat Ha’ir.”via Kupat Ha’ir.”

Yes, the Gadol Hador placed the zechus of this awesome Yes, the Gadol Hador placed the zechus of this awesome mitzvah and all that it accomplishes in a basket along mitzvah and all that it accomplishes in a basket along with the blessings of the many people who have been with the blessings of the many people who have been helped in the helped in the merit of their helping others – and handed it merit of their helping others – and handed it graciously to the Kupat Ha’ir activists.graciously to the Kupat Ha’ir activists.

The large sign sways lightly in the breeze. Cameras The large sign sways lightly in the breeze. Cameras flash, tape recorders whir – but those present are in flash, tape recorders whir – but those present are in a more exalted world. They can hardly believe they a more exalted world. They can hardly believe they are in the place where tefillos are poured out to are in the place where tefillos are poured out to Hashem, where zechuyos flow, where untold blessing Hashem, where zechuyos flow, where untold blessing is brought down to earth.is brought down to earth.

All sense of time and location disappear, leaving only a All sense of time and location disappear, leaving only a trembling of anticipation and excitement. trembling of anticipation and excitement. Because what Because what can still be said after that? What can possibly top such can still be said after that? What can possibly top such a remark? Haven’t the loftiest words possible already a remark? Haven’t the loftiest words possible already been uttered?been uttered?

HaveThe Kings

GatheredGathered

Every Yid A GabbaiEvery Yid A GabbaiBut Harav Wosner went on…

“We appeal to everyone… Kupat Ha’ir’s needs are huge. Kupat Ha’ir is a framework for assistance in countless areas. There are too few people involved. The need keeps growing. We have to do more.

“We appeal… that not only that those who are involved in helping Kupat Ha’ir today continue to do so, but that more people join. We need more and more ‘doers’.”

Harav Wosner has delivered explicit instructions to us all. Kupat Ha’ir is growing and it needs more contributions! There are not enough people sacrificing their time for it. Every Yid must be a gabbai for Kupat Ha’ir. Every Yid must raise funds on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir. Everyone should make an effort to talk to family members, neighbors and friends. Everyone must act tirelessly.

Are there still people who haven’t heard of Kupat Ha’ir? If so, our job is to let them know, to give them an idea of what tzedakah “lishmah” is all about, to explain that there is an organization that is the very paragon of integrity.

We need to let Kupat Ha’ir know about people who have the ability to help but are not aware of why they should help.

What Protects What Protects Jewish Children?Jewish Children?“May Hakadosh Baruch Hu help that the merit of Kupat Ha’ir’s tzedakah protect the Jewish children in Bnei Brak and all of Eretz Yisrael.” These children need an inordinate measure of protection.

There are “oyvecha” – the non-Jews who rise up to exterminate us, and there are “misanecha” – those who dwell amongst us who would destroy every last vestige of holiness from our nation. Oyvecha yehemayun, misaneha nasu rosham – and only the merit of Kupat Ha’ir serves as our protection.

Harav Wosner finished speaking, but no one stirred.

More than Just a More than Just a Board MeetingBoard MeetingAfter all was said and done, it wasn’t just an ordinary board meeting. Harav Wosner’s words, spoken from a fiery heart in the presence of all the Gedolei Yisrael, lent the event a different atmosphere altogether.

They didn’t “have to” attend. They weren’t pressured in any way. Nothing else in the world would have succeeded in changing their schedules.

But they, the kings of Am Yisrael, came to enjoy an hour of pleasure

TheTheGedolei HadorGedolei Hador

members of themembers of theboardboard

review the annualreview the annual

reportreport

Gatheredמרן הגר"ש הלוי וואזנר שליט"א

מרן הגראי"ל שטיינמן שליט"א

מרן הגר"ח קנייבסקי שליט"אמרן הגר"נ קרליץ שליט"אמרן הגרמ"י ליפקוביץ שליט"א

and delight with their only daughter, the organization that is their crown jewel.

Each of the Gedolei Hador expressed this feeling in his own way.

Maran Harav Steinman, shlit”a, asked that the meeting be set for an earlier date than originally planned. He preferred that it be held on Sunday rather than Tuesday. After feeling unwell for quite some time, he wanted his first excursion outside to be to Kupat ha’ir. That excursion would, be’ezras Hashem, afford him the koach to go on.

Maran Harav Kanievsky, shlit”a, said that attending the meeting was a “yetziah l’tzorech mitzvah” - which means, in effect, that the board meeting was a mitzvah. We’re talking about a formal meeting to sign the fiscal report of 2006 for the legal authorities – and it’s a mitzvah!

What does this mean?

The Gedolei Yisrael have accepted upon themselves to be deeply involved in all of Kupat Ha’ir’s activities, because they know that they can lend it their unstinting support. Here everything is done in accordance with their opinions, with deference to their will, without the slightest deviation. Here everything is carried out with incomparable integrity. Never has a stain of any sort blemished Kupat Ha’ir’s reputation, and with Hashem’s help it never will.

Because Kupat Ha’ir is the organization of the Gedolei Yisrael.

This is how it happened:This is how it happened:The meeting began a few moments after 6:30. The Gedolei Hador, along with their shamashim, appeared within a few moments of one another and expressed their delight at the five-way meeting, a meeting they were meriting thanks to Kupat Ha’ir. The exchange of warm handshakes, the admiration and respect each showed the other – it caused a shiver of excitement to run up everyone’s spine. The Gedolim exchanged a few sentences before taking their respective seats. Was this the mundane conversation of talmidei chachamim? Were they discussing divrei Torah with regard to Kupat Ha’ir? No one knows, but the mutual warmth flowing through the room set many a heart trembling.

Whenever there is a meeting of the Gedolei Hador, Kupat Ha’ir cannot help but take advantage of the

occasion to obtain blessings for their contributors, those who give their money and efforts to enable Kupat Ha’ir to function. A list of names was passed around and set down near a sefer Tehillim. The list containing the names and sifrei Tehillim were opened. The holy verses were recited with deep kavanah, word for word, with a shaliach tzibbur reciting aloud and the Gedolim echoing after him as the rest of the onlookers whispered along in awe as well. Another verse and another…

The room was awash with ever-increasing excitement. It was just an ordinary weekday… a routine board meeting, a formal procedure. But the holy words flooded the atmosphere with oxygen of a different sort, purer than usual, and everyone present inhaled it deeply. The haunting melody struck delicate, latent chords in the hearts of everyone there. How could an ordinary weekday don such festive, royal clothing?

And then the Gedolei Hador took the list of names and davened for each and every contributor and blessed them. They included the names of those who had contributed the day before and two days earlier and those who would contribute the following day. They blessed all those who assist Kupat Ha’ir in any way. Whoever saw them in prayer literally felt the emotion in their hearts… they weren’t just murmuring words. They weren’t merely rattling names off a paper. Their eyes were screwed tightly shut; their fists were clenched; their brows were furrowed in concentration.

And then they took pens and signed their confirmation of Kupat Ha’ir’s fiscal report for 2006. They folded the report representing an entire year of concentrated toil – toil with true sacrifice, toil free of personal considerations, toil saturated with integrity - and it was all over. But the room refuses to don its ordinary weekday garb once again.

“Vayehi B’Yeshurun melech…”

Those privileged to be present saw the kings – not one but five! - kings gathered together, kings who bear the burden of their people and illuminate the way for them. They saw these kings drop everything and go sit around a table to sign Kupat Ha’ir’s documents.

Bas yechidah’leh! The king’s beloved daughter, the organization closest to their hearts.

How can you stand facing the young, adorable princess and not feel your heart melt?

When the entire world is silent, the people sleeping peacefully in their beds and only the streetlamps give off a dim light to the dark streets, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, has already risen to begin his day. Before davening vasikin, he receives the list of contributors from the previous day so he can daven for them during Shacharis. By the time the contributors rise to a new day, this awesome zechus will alredy be working on their behalf and the Gates of Mercy will be open wide.

Late at night, at the end of the day, the names are forwarded to Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lifkowitz, shlit”a. After his shiur, he takes the list in hand and davens for each name individually. The names are forwarded to Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, too, who beseeches Hashem on behalf of these people, reciting an individual tefillah for each one before he retires for the night.

Are there special passageways in Shamayim to receive the tefillos of the Gedolim? Do special Angels of Mercy stand ready to carry their tefillos to the Kisei Hakavod? Is it their great zechus to force open the Sha’arei Rachamim?

We don’t know. Down here on earth, we can only see the results.

People are helped. Barren women give birth, shidduchim are celebrated with

much gladness, children do well in school and girls are accepted to the seminary of their choice. There is no end to the yeshuos, both big and small.

At the board meeting, all these individual conduits joined and became one. At one occasion, all of them together with unified hearts, the joint tefilla of Klal Yisrael’s shepherds ascended heavenward.

Their tefillah on behalf of the contributors to Kupat Ha’ir.

How much power does such a prayer have, accompanied by the combined zechuyos of five Gedolei Hador?

How much sanctity is there in such a plea, emanating from their holy hearts?

The contributors of Kupat Ha’ir had that zechus.

They merited what no one else had ever merited before. They merited what all those people who knock on the doors of these Gedolim and enter their inner rooms with quaking hearts and stand there to receive a brachah in person- never received.

No one had ever before merited one prayer woven of five special threads – gold, turquoise, scarlet and crimson wool and linen. The Kohen Gadol’s garments, when he went to beseech Hashem on behalf of his People, were embroidered with five threads, five breathtakingly beautiful shades.

This unique tefillah, too, was embroidered with five threads of five beautiful shades as it ascended before Hashem: Harav Wosner, Harav Steinman, Harav Lifkowitz, Harav Karelitz and Harav Kanievsky, shlit”a.Five threads combined to form one.And Kupat Ha’ir contributors merited this!

The TefillahThe Tefillah of the Gedolimof the Gedolim

An Upside-Down World?An Upside-Down World?“It’s really strange,” someone says.

Everyone turns to the speaker to hear what he finds

so odd. “You know, we always said that Kupat Ha’ir was

like a backup system, a sort of “insurance” in our lives.

Every child knows that if, chalilah, a tragedy occurs,

Kupat Ha’ir won’t let his family collapse.”

The listeners nod in agreement. Yes, that much is true.

What’s the chiddush?

“But now that feeling applies more to the yeshuos

aspect than to being rescued from distress!”

“What?”

“Yes. Don’t you feel it? Kupat Ha’ir is like an anchor, a

panacea, an island of security in whatever happens

in our whirlwind lives. We know that if anything

goes wrong, G-d forbid, in no matter what area, we

have Kupat Ha’ir. We contribute and are helped. We

contribute – and sha’arei Shamayim open wide for us.

We don’t have to live in fear of what could G-d forbid

happen. If we see that a situation – any situation

- is getting complicated, we simply contribute and

everything falls into place.”

The members of the small audience nod slowly. It’s

true. Whatever a person does, he does for himself. We

thought we were establishing Kupat Ha’ir for the poor,

but we discovered the truth of what Chazal taught us

thousands of years ago: More than the ba’al habayis does

for the pauper, the pauper does for the ba’al habayis.

The people scatter but the thought lingers in their minds. It’s true. Kupat Ha’ir has become an anchor for so many people. There’s a clear-cut course of action that sets the yeshuos wheels rolling.

Not always? True. There’s a Creator and everything is calculated. Whatever is not for our ultimate good will not happen even as the result of a contribution. The contribution surely never hurts! But whenever all you need is another few zechuyos, Kupat Ha’ir does what nothing else can.

Today, everyone knows.

Everyone knows that when you contribute to Kupat Ha’ir, the Gates of Mercy open wide. The power of the mitzvah of tzedakah, bolstered by emunah and obedience to the Gedolei Hador, breaks down barriers and brings about yeshuos in a way that is clearly lema’alah miderech hateva. The inconceivable quantity, the speed, the “automation” that astounds everyone so – these are the direct results of a fund that obeys the Gedolei Hador implicitly and is managed with unblemished integrity.

The results speak for themselves.

It always seems to us that the moment will eventually come when there will be nothing new to report. That every conceivable type of yeshuah has already occurred. That all types of successes and impossible coincidences have happened already. That there won’t be anything left to write in the popular column of our brochure. But reality surpasses the imagination.

What Changed What Changed At The Year’s End?At The Year’s End?

A French Jew submitted an application to the equivalent of “Section Eight” in his country to receive an apartment. Since the apartments are few and the applicants many, the chances of actually landing an apartment aren’t that great. To boost his chances for success, the Yid sent a check to Kupat Ha’ir.

When the check arrived to the Kupat Ha’ir office, a mistake was spotted immediately. Instead of September 14, 2006 (this story took place last year), the contributor had written September 14, 2007. Of course, the check couldn’t be deposited.

One of the secretaries phoned the contributor and informed him of the mistake. “Oh, really, is that what I did?” the contributor asked. “Well, what should I do? If it happened, it happened. Save the check for next year.”

The secretary didn’t want to press, so the conversation ended there.

A few days later, the contributor received a response from the French “Section Eight” office. His request had been rejected. What a shame, he thought to himself. I didn’t contribute, so I didn’t get it. And he went on with his life.

Nearly a full year passed. In June of 2007, our French contributor received another letter from “Section Eight.”

In response to your application from 2006…. He was very surprised: since when did the government deal with year-old rejected applications? He had never heard of an application being reviewed nine months after it had been presented, certainly not after a negative response. He hadn’t submitted another application. But the rest of the letter was even more shocking:

In response to your application from 2006, we would like to inform you that an apartment suitable for the needs outlined in your application will become available shortly. If you are interested, the apartment will be yours beginning...

September 14, 2007.

The check waited a year to be cashed. On the day it was cashed, the apartment was ready for its new owners.

Why should we be surprised if the hearts of clerks in the French government are in His hands? And if the contribution helps in matters of life and death, why shouldn’t it be effective with procuring an apartment?

A Child as a GiftA Child as a Gift

Mrs. L from northern Israel experienced a “life and death” story.

She describes how she went to her baby’s room to peek in on him, to cover him if necessary, to make sure everything was okay – and to her horror, she found that the plastic sheet under the cloth sheet in the crib was wrapped around her baby’s face. Alarmed, she pulled her son out of the crib, but his head hung limp. His face was white and he wasn’t breathing.

“I picked him up and began to scream. I called his name, but his head hung to the side and his eyes remained closed. He didn’t respond. I called out to the Ribono shel Olam: A hundred shekels to Kupat Ha’ir that he should live!

“Out of fear, I kept promising the Aibersheter another fifty shekel and another fifty shekel…”

She describes her sobs as her husband sped with him in an ambulance to the hospital and the fear she felt, upon following later, when she learned the child was still unconscious and suffering from severe swelling of his lungs.

“In my heart, I promised another 50 shekel and another… and with every additional contribution, we saw an improvement.” The doctors thought she didn’t quite grasp the reality of the situation, but she trusted in Hashem and the power of tzedakah. Her faith was not misplaced. The following evening, the child was discharged from the hospital.

Life? Death? How fragile is the thread that separates the two, Rachmana litzlan. And the power of Kupat Ha’ir saved the child’s life!

The Ticket is GoneThe Ticket is GoneBack to the land of the living. A well-known avreich parked his car in Tel Aviv – “just for a minute” to buy something in a nearby store. But that minute cost him dearly. When he returned, he found a ticket on his windshield. He could pay a NIS 500 fine or argue the ticket in court.

“It’ll cost me NIS 500 in any case,” he thought to himself. “Why should I give it to the government? I’d rather support poor people. If the judge cancels Tel: #33-612330787

Tel: #972-54-2225070

my fine I’ll contribute the NIS 500 to Kupat Ha’ir.” He chose to appear in court.

A few days later, he received a letter from the traffic violations court. He tore the envelope open

impatiently.

Since the prosecution (the Tel Aviv municipality) did not find evidence of the offense, the judge hereby dismisses the case.

Didn’t find evidence? What had happened to the ticket? Had it gotten lost? Torn? Evaporated? Blown away? It’s unclear. But it’s a fact… a lovely fact. Another NIS 500 will support poor people instead of supporting the government.

Buying and SellingAn avreich from Elad tried unsuccessfully to sell his apartment. He went to real estate agencies, hung signs in the street and in shuls, put an ad in a local paper and spread the word. But nothing came of it all, nothing serious.

“One day, I decided I’d had enough,” he relates. “I woke up in the morning and declared: if the apartment is sold without the help of a broker, Ill give the money I save directly to Kupat Ha’ir!”

It was an ordinary day, a day like all others. But that very afternoon, he knocked at the door of one

of the rabbanim in his neighborhood who accepts contributions on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir and gave him the money. The apartment was sold!

“I’m standing there and telling the rav about the miracle of it all,” he goes on, “when it suddenly occurred to me: And now you’ll spend another few months like an idiot looking for a different apartment? You’ll climb countless stairs and see dozens of apartments and then finally give up and decide to contribute the brokerage fee to Kupat Ha’ir?

I told the rav half jokingly: If I buy an apartment without having to pay commission, I’ll give the that money to Kupat Ha’ir, too, bli neder!”

That very evening, he knocked on the same rav’s door for the second time and gave him the brokerage commission for the apartment he had purchased.

Only someone who knows how much effort is involved in buying and selling an apartment can appreciate how amazing it is that all this happened in one day.

The Lottery Since the story of the Nadvorner bachur who won a lottery in which the prize was a trip with the Nadvorner Rebbe to grave of the Noam Elimelech of Lizhensk, zy”a, on his yahrtzeit, we’ve been receiving more and more “lottery” stories.

“Because of all the pushing at the mayim shelanudrawing with the Gerrer Rebbe every year,” a delighted chassid writes, “a new takanah was made this year. Only 150 chassidim could accompany the Rebbe to draw mayim shelanu. Only 150 chassidim, to be selected by lottery. I wanted dearly to be among those selected. I contributed to Kupat Ha’ir and my name was chosen!” His happiness seeps between the lines, enveloping the reader in a sense of lofty sanctity.

Spiritual matters run through Kupat Ha’ir’s yeshuoslike a scarlet thread.

Tzedakah to Kupat Ha’ir is Always A Good Thing

A Sephardic yeshivah bachur (that’s how he identifies himself in his letter) wanted very badly to be accepted into Yeshivas Mir Brachfeld, where the “filtering” level is very high. “You don’t stand a chance,” his friends told him over and over again.

Tel: #972-50-4143840

Tel: #972-57-3150345

His Ram, too, tried to dissuade him - to no avail. His soul thirsted for the Torah of that particular yeshivah. Before the entrance examinations, he decided to go into Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, to ask for his blessing.

Maran blessed him with hatzlachah in learning, but the bachur wouldn’t back down. “I want very much to learn in Mir Brachfeld,” he said shyly. But Harav Kanievsky did not agree to bless him that he would learn specifically there. “Every makom Torah is good – if you learn well there,” he said.

“Maybe tzedakah would help?” the bachur tried as a last resort.

“Tzedakah to Kupat Ha’ir is always a good thing,” Harav Kanievsky replied.

So the bachur contributed to Kupat Ha’ir.

With a peaceful heart, he went to take the test, but when the results came, they were very disappointing: he wasn’t accepted to the yeshivah where he wanted so badly to learn.

“We told you there was no point in even trying,” his friends told him empathetically.

“You need to apply to other yeshivos,” his Ram urged him, worried that time was running out. But the bachur was adamant: Harav Kanievsky had told him that Kupat Ha’ir was always a good thing and he had given tzedakah to Kupat Ha’ir – so with Hashem’s help he would learn there!

Even a rejection letter is not always final.

His friends shook their heads and his Ram shrugged helplessly, furrows showing in his brow. Two days passed. After an additional day, a telephone call came in from the yeshiva: one slot had become available. Many bachurim were vying for it. Did he want to come for a retest?

Of course he did. He traveled there full of hope and joy.

When he arrived, six bachurim were already there. Another six arrived, one after the other, shortly after him. Thirteen bachurim sat in the room with pounding hearts. When the Rosh Yeshivah arrived,

they began entering according to the order in which they had arrived.

The first bachur entered and left with flushed cheeks. The second entered and left looking visibly moved. The Rosh Yeshiva himself was conducting the farher and it wasn’t easy. Of all the bachurim sitting there only one would be accepted to the yeshivah. The third bachur entered and left, the fourth, fifth and sixth… finally it was his turn. His lips murmured verses of Tehillim and his heart beat with hope.

The Rosh Yeshivah, Hagaon Harav Naftali Tzvi Finkel, shlit”a, sat opposite him at a table. A Gemara was opened and a stormy give and take ensued. The bachur forgot everything and focused on the sugya.

A question was raised and he toiled mightily to refute it. His face was covered by a sheen of perspiration. His cheeks grew red from enthusiasm and he glowed with that special chein reserved for Torah scholars deep in study. The Rosh Yeshiva sank into the sugya along with him and together they delved deeply inside.

After a while, the Rosh Yeshiva closed his Gemara.

“It’s hard to believe there’s any point in my testing the other bachurim,” he said to the secretary sitting nearby. “It would be a shame to waste their time. I’ve found my bachur.”

And he’s there!

Like all the fairytale endings. Like all the yeshuos endings. He’s there!

Can we estimate the huge chessed latent in this middah of Hashem Yisbarach?

You contribute to Kupat Ha’ir and merit to have even your most remote desires

come true!

Tel: #972-57-3150345

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עליכם ויטהר אתכם כי בזה היום יכפר עליכם ויטהר אתכם The Gedolei and Tzaddikei Hador, shlit”a, davening for the contrib

This year, too, you can merit to have Maranan Verabanan, shlit”a,pray for you on erev Yom Kippur. 1-866-221-9352

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe, shlit”a

The Vizhnitzer R

כי בזה היום יכפר עכי בזה היום יכפר עליכם ויטהר אתכם ntributors to Kupat Ha’ir moments before the onset of Yom Kippur

Call, contribute, and receive a blessing:

1-866-221-93521-866-221-9352

Maran Hagaon Harav Ahron Leib Steinman,

Maran Hagaon Harav Ahron Leib Steinman, sh

lit”a

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The Vizhnitzer Rebbe, shlit”aer Rebbe, shlit”a

Maran Hagaon Chaim Kanievsky, prays for the contributors on erev Yom Kippur, shortly before Kol Nidrei.

To my dear friends, gabba’im

of Kupat Ha’ir, shlit”a:I see fit to inform you that I went in to my father and teacher, shlit”a, and showed him all the names of the contributors to Kupat Ha’ir. I told him that the contributors asked that he mention their names during the aseres yemei teshuva. He told me to leave the names on his desk (where he learns) and not to remove them until after the aseres yemei teshuva. He later added that he offered a separate tefilla for the contributors to Kupat Ha’ir, because the greatness of the merit of contributing to Kupat Ha’ir cannot be estimated.

Shaul ben Hagaon Harav

Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a

Special testimony from the Son of Hagaon Harav

Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a

For children:

For a refuah sheleima (speedy recovery):For zivug hagun (worthy mate):Parnassah (livelihood) with ease: Nachas from children: Other:

To: Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky Please daven that I be inscribed for a sweet, good year

Please fill in your Hebrew name and mother’s Hebrew name

Donations can be sent to:Donations can be sent to:

I would like to donate to Kupat Ha'ir

FORFORDONATIONSDONATIONSBYBYDIRECT BANKDIRECT BANKWITHDRAWALWITHDRAWAL Fill in form, signand send withthe enclosedenvelope

Name:.......................................................................................___........

Address: ....................................................................................................

City, State & Zip..................................................................................

Phone #:.......................................................................................................

Amount:...................... How many Months:...........................

Bank Routing #: ..................................................................................................

Account #:....................................................................................................

Signature: ..................................................................................................

FORFORDONATIONSDONATIONSBYBYCREDITCREDITCARDCARDFill in formand send withthe enclosedenvelope

I would like to donate to Kupat Ha'ir

The sum of .................................................................................................

On a monthly basis, For.......................................... months

One time donation ..............................................................................

Credit card # ...........................................................................................

Expiration date ......................................................................................

Name ................................................................................................................

Address .........................................................................................................

Tel ......................................................................................................................

Signature: ....................................................................................................

Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum Shlita1795 East 7th Street

Brooklyn, New York 11223

Rabbi Malkiel Kotler Shlita521 5th Street

Lakewood, New Jersey 08701

Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon Shlita637 6th Street

Lakewood, New Jersey 08701

Rabbi Moshe Wolfson Shlita1575 43rd Street

Brooklyn, New York 11219

Rabbi Don Blumberg Shlita4 Yale Drive

Monsey, NewYork 10952

Rabbi Chaim Leib Epstein Shlita 1608 46th Street

Brooklyn, New York 11204

Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser Shlita1336 East 21st Street

Brooklyn, New York York 11210

Rabbi Aron Schechter Shlita1248 east 12th street

Brooklyn, New York 11230

Rabbi Pinchos Breuer Shlita1167 East 29th Street

Brooklyn, New York 11210

Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer Shlita 8 Ash Street

Monsey, New York 10952

Please fill in your Hebrew name and mother’s Hebrew nameUrgent requests are immediately forwarded to the home of the Gedolei Hador

Nachas from children

For children

For a refuah sheleima (speedy recovery)

For zivug hagun (worthy mate)

Parnassah (livelihood) with ease

זרע של קיימא

פרנסה

זיווג הגון

רפואה שלמה

נחת מהילדים

Please make checks payable to: American Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

How do I donate to Kupat Hair?How do I donate to Kupat Hair?

For all information or to receive a pushka call 1-800-233-2188 Our office number in Israel: 3-671-6994Our office number in Israel: 3-671-6994

1-866-221-93521-866-221-935224 Hour Tzeddakahhotline

Send your donation in the enclosed envelope.

Call the 24 Hour Tzeddakah Hotline (donation by credit card) at 1-866-221-9352 Fax: 1888-633-2188Email: info@kupathairusa.org

Send your donation to the Rabbonim in your area (see list on Envelope).

Send your donation to:Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum1795 East 7th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.11223

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In In CanadaCanada

Send your donation to: Montreal: Rabbi Y. C. Wenger Shlita, 2227 Goyer Avenue, Montreal Quebec H3S 1H1 Toronto: Rabbi M. M. Lowy Shlita, 240 Carmichael, Toronto Ontario M5M 2x4 Please make checks payable to: Canadian Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

ou too can merit receiving a personal Bracha

to be inscribed for a sweet, good yearYPlease daven on my behalf for:

ou too can merit receiving a personal Bracha

to be inscribed forto be inscribed for a sweet, good yeara sweet, good yearYY