 The 25th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Reb Shabsai, father of Rav Israel of Koshnitz (1761). We offer the following Reb Shlomo story about his son, the Koshnitzer in his honor:
So, the daughter of the Kozhnitzer Maggid didn’t have children. (We’re blessing everyone to have children.) And the Kozhnitzer Maggid, for him, the most, most precious thing he had was his Chanukah — candelabra — Chanukah menorah. He gave everything away, but this was one thing he really didn’t give away because it was too precious.
So here Rebbe Levi Yitzhak Berditchever came, a few weeks before Chanukah, and so, the daughter of the Kozhnitzer Maggid comes in, and she says to Reb Levi Yitzhak, “Can you please, please, please bless me with children? So Reb Levi Yitzhak Berditchever says to the Kozhnitzer Maggid, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll bless your daughter with children if you’ll give me your Chanukah menorah.”
Look, what can you do? For my daughter I’ll do anything in the world, right? So he says, “Sure, I’ll give it to you very gladly.” So he gave him the Chanukah menorah, and then Reb Levi Yitzhak took the menorah and gave it to the daughter of the Kozhnitzer Maggid and says, “Here is my present for your little baby.” Gevalt. Then he says to the Kozhnitzer Maggid, “But you know what? Until he’ll be Bar Mitzvah, you can kindle on his menorah.” I want you to know, this little boy later on was Reb Chaim Meir’l of Margolinska, was like — mamesh, a great light.
Everybody knows that Chanukah — Chanukah is the time to pray to find your soul-mate. You know what it takes to find your soul-mate? Good eyes. Good eyes. On Chanukah, when the light is shining — the inner light, the inside light — and you know what you need, in order to be blessed by G-d with children? Also Chanukah light. And you know, G-d forbid, sometimes, G-d doesn’t trust us with children ’cause we don’t know how to look at them.
You know, I don’t want to say anything bad — I’m sure this yeshival’l here is the best…but the rest of the day schools I’m not so sure. Or every one is good. Most of them are good. You know what it takes to be a good teacher? The world thinks a good teacher is someone who disciplines the kids — they’re afraid to move, nebich; he takes away their last ounce of joy. A good teacher is someone who has good eyes. Good eyes. Good eyes. And here I want to share something awesome, deep, with you.
You know, beautiful friends, on Yom Kippur we’re asking for forgiveness. But you know how many scars we have on our soul? So many scars. Imagine I love this girl very much, we had a big fight, and we ask each other for forgiveness. And so we forgive each other. But there’s so many scars left. So many scars left. And you know what it takes to take away the scars? Mamesh, you need one person to look at you with so much love that it would take away the scars. And you know, if we would x-ray each other — ourselves — we would see so many scars. So many scars.
You know, children, everyday when they come home from school — I could swear they are full of scars. And you know, if parents have Chanukah eyes, they take away all the scars. And they’re so glad to be home. And sometimes, nebich, parents don’t have it. And I’m not judging them — because *they* are full of scars.
Anyway, I want to bless you and me and all of us. You know, Chanukah — it’s our big chance to see each other again — not only our chance to see each other again, it’s our chance to heal each other again, to heal each other again.
And one more thing — forgive me for saying it; I’ll make it fast because a lot of people are saying that I tell them too many Torahs. You know why? I’ll tell you. I don’t want to say anything bad, but they don’t like it, so, mazel tov. Nothing I can do.
You know, the Kotzker Rebbe, someone told the Kotzker Rebbe, “This person doesn’t like you.” He said, “I’m so glad. I was so afraid he would.” You know, those people who don’t like my stories? I’m so glad they don’t, you know? ‘Cause it’s not for them.
You know, one of the biggest gaonim of the last generation — there [are] no more like him — a giant! — came out with a sefer — a book — an earth-shaking book. I mean, not from our generation. He walked down the street, and a man says to him, “You know, I wrote you three letters about your book, and you didn’t answer me.” So he says, “You know, I’ll tell you the truth. My book is not meant for everyone. And you are one of them for whom it’s not meant.”
Congregation Chevra Thilim, San Francisco, 18 Kislev, 5752/November 24, 1991
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