A Message from Beyond: A Father's Dream Visit

When Roy Guri from Kiryat Ono embraced Judaism 25 years ago, he was a single man living with his parents. 

Roy's story is one of the most inspiring we've encountered, unfolding as his father aged and fell ill. Guri shared that both his parents came from religious households but had turned mostly traditional over time. 

At age 85, when Roy's father became ill, Roy, who had already been on his journey back to faith, consulted a rabbi. The rabbi relayed a visit to the Steipler, where he heard that observing Shabbat could work wonders for the sick. 

Roy told his father, whose condition was worsening, about this advice. Eventually, his father decided to keep Shabbat. 

Roy was torn. He was joyous, yet cautious, knowing his father must consider his decision carefully, not just seek healing. "Begin gradually with what should not be done in public," Roy wisely advised. "This is a serious commitment."

His father was resolute, stating, "I’m going all in seriously."

Seeing this determination, Roy became his father's study partner, teaching him the dos and don'ts of Shabbat, and they started a session on Shabbat laws. 

Two weeks later, as his father's condition led to needing aid, they were joined by a Filipino caregiver, who also kept Shabbat alongside him, learning what was permissible. 

His father observed three full Shabbats before passing away. 

This raised the difficult question for Roy: "Where do we bury Dad, who kept Shabbat only thrice yet committed so seriously?"

Seeking guidance, Roy turned to Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, who instructed, "A Jew who observes his last three Shabbats deserves to rest among Shabbat keepers."

Twenty-nine days after the mourning, Roy dreamt of his father. "He came to me in a dream, inviting me to a restaurant. We sat, but there was no food. Then my father pulled out two volumes of the Talmud, precisely what I was studying and explained them in depth."

Surprised, Roy asked how his father knew this. His father replied, "Every page you study here, I'm taught in Heaven. Your Torah learning elevates me."

In the dream, a waiter served coffee. As Roy began to bless, his father corrected him with insights from the "Mishna Berura," showing him how to recite blessings correctly. "Keep studying," his father urged Roy, "it does me good up here," he concluded.