An Unexpected Dream: A Father's Last Message

This story begins with a man from Kiryat Ono named Roy Gury, who returned to his Jewish roots 25 years ago. While still single, he lived with his parents, who had a traditional background but later became less observant, though they kept certain practices like Shabbat and kosher.

As the father aged and approached 85, he fell ill in August 2019. One Shabbat, Roy visited Rabbi Schlesinger and shared his father's condition. The rabbi recounted witnessing another rabbi, the Steipler, advising that observing Shabbat could bring about wonders.

A month later, with the father seriously ill, he told Roy, "I want to keep Shabbat." Roy was cautious, suggesting a gradual start by focusing on public observances. The father insisted, "I'm serious, I'll do it wholeheartedly."

On Shabbat, father and son stayed close as Roy gently guided him through what was allowed and forbidden. They also decided to study Shabbat laws together daily.

After two weeks, a Filipino caregiver was hired for the father, who was curious about what tasks a non-Jew could perform on Shabbat. They studied these laws together, and after three complete Shabbats of observance, the father passed away.

Questions arose about where a Jew who observed Shabbat so late in life should be buried. Consulting Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky yielded a response: if someone keeps their last three Shabbats, they merit to be buried in the section for those who observe Shabbat.

Twenty-nine days after the passing, the father appeared in Roy's dream, inviting him to a restaurant. Seated with nothing to eat, the father pulled out two volumes of the Talmud, exactly what Roy was studying, and explained complex sections with remarkable clarity.

In the dream, Roy asked his father how he knew these texts. The father explained, "Here, I study daily along with you. Your learning elevates me."

Reaching the blessing during their dream meal, Roy took his time. His father, with only three Shabbats behind him, corrected Roy's pronunciation according to a specific Jewish law. They finished their learning session with the father asking Roy to continue studying, as it was beneficial for him.

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Later, Rabbi Schlesinger encountered Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Schwartz in Kiryat Herzog. Astounded, Rabbi Schlesinger asked, "How can someone who observed only three Shabbats be in heaven teaching complex Talmud sections?"

Rabbi Schwartz inquired about Roy's father's name, suspecting it might be Sasson. Upon confirmation, Schwartz recounted an earlier incident involving municipal challenges with the eruv (a symbolic boundary that permits carrying in public areas on Shabbat). A brilliant suggestion led to involving the Electric Corporation when Sasson Gury, then an official, agreed to help establish community eruvs, despite not fully understanding the religious implications.

Sasson's cooperation ensured nationwide observance of Shabbat, and that singular merit prevented his departure as a non-observant Jew. Within a month, he was already teaching complex Talmudic discussions in heaven.

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