A Promise in a Dream: A Reminder from Beyond

Recently, a prominent rabbi from the Belz community, Rabbi Yitzchak Landa, of blessed memory, passed away. During his shiva, his family shared a poignant event that took place about 30 years ago at an orphanage in Jerusalem. There, a kind-hearted woman named Tzvia Savitzky, who had no children, worked as the housemother.

When members of Rabbi Landa's family visited, they were Tzvia's nieces and nephews, recounting the day she passed away and the preparations for her funeral, which took place on a chilly Friday. "Our entire family was there when suddenly, we noticed a man we didn't know, dressed in the traditional attire of a Belz chassid," they recalled.

They were taken aback when the chassid approached the grave wanting to say kaddish for their aunt. "He told us he knew she had no children, but we didn't understand his connection given that he was a chassid and we belonged to the Lithuanian community."

Wondering 'what does he have to do with us,' they refrained from asking questions and simply told him: "It's okay, we've arranged for someone to say kaddish."

The chassid left, and they believed that was the end of it. However, during the shiva, they had a surprise. "He came to our mother's house, the aunt's sister, who was sitting shiva, and he shared, through tears and excitement, the story of his connection to our aunt."

"Say Kaddish for Me After I Leave This World"

The chassid shared his story of arriving in the country in 5705 (1945) without his parents. For five years, he lived like an orphan, wandering as a young boy without family. "I ended up in Jerusalem, sent to the 'Cheder' Yavneh and at night stayed in an orphanage in the Katamon neighborhood. Mrs. Tzvia, may she rest in peace, was the housemother there, acting like a true mother to all of us children."

He mentioned how she cared for the children as if they were her own, even painstakingly removing lice from their heads without complaint. One day, it was young Yitzchak's turn for care, when suddenly he started crying during the grooming.

When Mrs. Tzvia asked why he was crying, he replied it was because she devoted so much to the children, but she herself had none, which he understood was a source of pain for her. "How can I repay you for the kindness you show me?" the young boy asked between sobs.

Mrs. Tzvia took his plea seriously and replied, "If you want to repay me, say Kaddish for me after I leave this world."

"The Deceased Came in a Dream - Just Hours Before Her Passing"

Forty-five years passed. Yitzchak grew up, had a family, and the memory of that day faded. Then, in the month of Tevet, 5750 (1990), he had a dream. In it, the righteous housemother appeared, sitting on a sofa, calling to him, saying: 'Itzik'le, it's time to fulfill your promise.'

"I awoke with a shock from this dream. I couldn't stop thinking about her and the promise I made to her as a young boy. But over the years, we lost contact, and I didn't even know if she was still alive. I told my wife about the dream, and it haunted me even as I left for the morning prayers at the synagogue."

On his way back from the synagogue, he noticed a fresh flyer posted. "This was on Turim Street, in the Mekor Baruch neighborhood where I lived. The name on the flyer was unmistakable. 'Mrs. Tzvia Savitzky, of blessed memory.' Seeing the time for the funeral at 11 am, I knew I couldn't miss it and had to fulfill my promise to say kaddish. Although at the actual funeral I didn't say it because you excused me, I fulfilled my promise by saying kaddish for her afterwards."

(This letter was published in 'HaMevaser' - 'Kehillot', by Rabbi Avraham Mendelson, Jerusalem)