A Gift of Blessing: Rabbi Grossman’s Unexpected Journey to Africa

Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman, the beloved rabbi of Migdal HaEmek, shared this personal and moving story:

“It was the eve of Rosh Hashanah. The preparations at home were intense. Then the phone rang. A wealthy Jewish businessman was on the line. He wanted to meet immediately.

‘Today?’ I asked.
‘Yes, Rabbi. It cannot be delayed, it’s a matter of life and death.’
There was urgency in his voice. I said, ‘You’re invited.’

An hour and a half later, the man was sitting in my living room,” Rabbi Grossman told BaKehila.

He explained that he did business in Nigeria. The Nigerian government bought goods from him but hadn’t been paying their bills. His company was in serious financial danger.

“I understood his worries and gave him a heartfelt blessing, that Hashem should send him a good year with good news even for this issue,” said the Rabbi.

Then, a sudden thought crossed his mind.

“I asked him, ‘Do you know the President of Nigeria?’
‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘I know the leadership well. I work closely with them.’

‘Then tell him I want to visit and give him a blessing,’ I said.

The man was surprised and excited. ‘I’ll contact the President’s office right away.’

We wished each other a sweet new year and said goodbye. Honestly, I didn’t expect anything to come of it,” Rabbi Grossman admitted.

But the day after Rosh Hashanah, on the Fast of Gedaliah, a minor fast day that comes right after Rosh Hashanah, the businessman called again.

He said the President of Nigeria had responded: he wanted to meet the “holy man” from Israel. The businessman invited the Rabbi to fly with him that very night on his private plane.

“I was stunned. This was completely unexpected. I wasn’t physically or mentally prepared to travel to far-off Africa now, in the middle of the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,” Rabbi Grossman recalled.

He sat quietly, trying to gather his thoughts. The fast weighed heavily on him. He opened a sefer (holy book) by the Alshich, a classic Torah commentator. On the verse, “If your brother becomes poor... you shall strengthen him...” the Alshich explained why this mitzvah is written in the singular form, unlike earlier verses written in plural.

The reason, wrote the Alshich, is that when someone needs help, people often say, “Someone else will take care of it.” They pass on the responsibility. But the Torah speaks in singular to say: if you know about the need, you must help.

“When I read those words, I felt like they were written just for me,” Rabbi Grossman said. “I realized I couldn’t leave the responsibility to anyone else. This was my mission. I called him and said, ‘Let’s go.’”

After breaking the fast and resting briefly, they boarded the private plane to Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa, with over 150 million people.

Eight hours later, they landed near the Presidential Palace in Abuja. Ministers of the Nigerian government greeted them with great honor and respect.

“When I came down the airplane stairs, dozens of military officers stood in formation. They lowered their heads as I raised my hands and blessed them with warmth,” Rabbi Grossman recounted.

Later that evening, they were brought to the home of Nigeria’s President, Ibrahim Babangida. A red carpet had been rolled out for them.

“I showed the President a photo album of the children and programs at Migdal Ohr, the network of schools and homes for children in need that I lead,” said Rabbi Grossman.

“I told him a story: Once, the King of Rome sent a box of diamonds to a great Rabbi. In return, the Rabbi sent back a mezuzah, a small parchment scroll with verses from the Torah placed on the doorposts of Jewish homes. The king was offended: ‘I gave you a treasure and this is what I get in return?’ The Rabbi replied: ‘You gave me something I have to guard. But I gave you something that will guard you.’

“From the pocket of my coat, I took out a mezuzah. ‘This,’ I said, ‘is the gift our holy Rabbi once sent to a king. And now, I give this to you, Mr. President.’”

The President’s eyes filled with tears. He bent down and threw himself at the Rabbi’s feet, asking for a blessing.

“I thought to myself,” said Rabbi Grossman, “here is a leader with millions under his command kneeling before me, believing in the blessing of Hashem. It was deeply moving.”

Rabbi Grossman gave him a heartfelt blessing, including blessings from the heavens above, and prayed that he would continue to follow the Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach, the seven basic laws for non-Jews given by the Torah.

“I knew that this was the moment for which I had come,” said the Rabbi. “In the middle of these holy days of repentance and mercy, I had the chance to bring Hashem’s light to this place.”

Then, quietly, he whispered in the President’s ear about the businessman’s difficult situation and asked him to help.

The President listened and kept his word.

“During Chol Hamoed Sukkot, the intermediate days of the holiday, I got a phone call from the businessman. His voice was full of excitement.

‘Rabbi, the money is with me,’ he said.

And that,” Rabbi Grossman concluded, “is the story of how a mezuzah and a blessing changed everything.”