Her Kindness Went Beyond Nature And So Did Her Healing

Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein shlita, the Rav of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood in Bnei Brak and a member of the Council of Torah Sages, recently shared a remarkable story that highlights the power of kindness and loyalty and how Hashem sometimes responds with miracles beyond human understanding.

He told of an elderly Jewish man who had developed Alzheimer's disease. One of the painful effects of his condition was that he would collect every discarded object he found in the street and bring it home. Over time, his house filled up with broken strollers, old brooms, and all kinds of junk. The hallways, kitchen, and even the bedroom became packed with clutter, leaving almost no room for his wife to move around.

As the situation worsened, the couple’s children approached Rabbi Zilberstein to ask what could be done. The Rabbi offered a creative solution. “Contact a municipal worker and ask him to witness the state of the house,” he advised. “Then have that worker go to a beit din (a Jewish rabbinical court) and file a claim against your father. Since a husband is halachically (according to Jewish law) obligated to provide a livable home for his wife, and this apartment is no longer fit for living, the court can require your father to rent her a separate apartment.”

Rabbi Zilberstein added, “The rental would cost several thousand shekels a month. Your father likely wouldn’t want to spend that kind of money, and it might convince him to change.” But he stressed one important detail: “The claim must not come from your mother. That’s why the city worker needs to file it and not her.”

The children returned home and shared the Rabbi’s advice with their mother. But when she heard it, she immediately shook her head. Her eyes filled with tears, and she said with deep emotion, “I won’t allow anyone to file a claim against my husband! He was always good to me throughout our life together. Even if it’s meant to help me live more comfortably, I won’t have anyone bring a claim against him, not even in this way!”

Her words were full of strength and dignity. This was a true woman of valor, someone who honored her husband deeply, even in his current fragile state. She was willing to live in discomfort just to protect his dignity. Though the intention behind the claim was not to harm him, she simply could not bring herself to agree to it.

But the story didn’t end there.

Rabbi Zilberstein shared what the family told him later. The woman had been suffering from a serious illness, chas v’shalom (Heaven protect us), she had a tumor. But not long after that powerful moment when she refused to take any action against her husband, something unexpected happened. The tumor began to shrink.

Doctors were stunned. They had no medical explanation for what was happening. It was as if the tumor had simply disappeared.

When Rabbi Zilberstein heard about this incredible development, he told the family, “Your mother did something that went beyond the laws of nature. She chose to hold onto kavod (honor) for her husband and gave up her own comfort for his sake. In return, Hashem repaid her measure for measure. He, too, acted beyond the laws of nature and healed her.”

This story was shared by Rabbi Zilberstein with the help of the Dirshu organization, and it’s one we can all learn from. It reminds us that sometimes, the greatest miracles begin with quiet acts of love, faith, and loyalty.