Firsthand Testimony: "Doctors Gave Up on My Condition, but Thanks to Silence During Prayer, I Was Saved"

Destruction and devastation, and thousands of deaths in bizarre ways, were left in the wake of the Chmielnicki massacres in the Jewish communities of Ukraine. Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller, known as the "Tosafot Yom Tov," whose yahrtzeit is this week, composed the lament "Eileh Ezkera" for the victims. He also instituted the "Mi Shebeirach" prayer for "anyone who guards his mouth and tongue from speaking during prayer." Many communities in Israel and the diaspora adopted his enactment and publicly recite the "Mi Shebeirach" before the Torah reading, to awaken the people not to speak during prayer.<\/p>

For the yahrtzeit of the Tosafot Yom Tov, we have collected two amazing stories about the merit of silence during prayer and the material and spiritual gain—miracles and wonders that people witness to this day due to their acceptance of this practice.<\/p>

"Go to the Tosafot Yom Tov and tell him to fulfill his blessing in the 'Mi Shebeirach' and bring me salvation"<\/h3>

In a central synagogue in London, frequented by many leaders and wealthy residents of the area, an elderly righteous Jewish rabbi tried with all his might to arouse caution about talking during prayer and Torah reading. However, he struggled because most of the congregants were businessmen deeply immersed in commerce and worldly matters. One day, the rabbi ascended to the bimah and announced: 'Listen, gentlemen, I am old and unable to warn about this matter any longer. Therefore, from now on, I will institute a new custom in the synagogue; every Shabbat after the Torah reading, the shamash will loudly proclaim the well-known "Mi Shebeirach" of the Tosafot Yom Tov, in which blessings are said for anyone who guards his mouth from speaking during prayer. Henceforth, anyone who wishes to receive the blessing of Tosafot Yom Tov must accept upon himself to refrain from speaking during prayer and will be blessed.' <\/p>

One of the congregants had a son who had reached age but had yet to find his match. Upon hearing the elderly rabbi's announcement of the new practice, he thought: 'I am expecting salvation and long to find a suitable match for my son. I will make a pact with the Tosafot Yom Tov; I will try for a few weeks to refrain from speaking during prayer, and perhaps I will merit salvation through his blessing.' And indeed, he upheld his resolution with courage and strength, overcoming all temptations and not uttering a word from the beginning to the end of the prayer. Weeks passed, and seeing no salvation forthcoming, he decided in his heart: 'Here in London lies a righteous and great man, Rabbi Shalom of Shatz, of blessed memory, who promised in his will to enact salvation for anyone who comes to his grave and resolves to mend his ways in one matter. I have resolved to mend my ways and made a good resolution hoping that the Tosafot Yom Tov will enact salvation for me, yet I have not been saved. I will go to Rabbi Shatz's tomb and demand that he act for me.' On Thursday, he rose and traveled to the tomb. Standing there before the righteous man, after reciting several chapters of Psalms, he poured out his heart, recounting his entire story and claiming: "You promised to go to the holy forefathers to act. Go now to your ancestor, the Tosafot Yom Tov, and tell him to fulfill his blessing in the 'Mi Shebeirach' and bring me salvation." <\/p>

The following day, on the eve of the holy Shabbat, the Jew received a phone call with a marriage proposal for his son. The proposal advanced rapidly, and by Tuesday of the following week, the match was successfully concluded. Astonishingly, it became known after the match that the bride's maternal grandfather was a descendant of the Tosafot Yom Tov of blessed memory. <\/p>

"When they conducted a follow-up test, the doctors were astounded to see how drastically the numbers had decreased"<\/h3>

Members of a community in Montreal, Canada, recount that weekly, they post different signs about the importance of refraining from talking during prayer in a prominent location in the synagogue's hallway, so the sign meets the eyes of congregants coming to pray.<\/p>

One week, a guest who was a member of the Kloiznberg Chassidim, residing in Union City, USA, arrived in Montreal for a family celebration. On Friday night, the guest came to pray at the local synagogue because it was near his residence. Upon seeing the large sign stating "Silence during prayer can lead to all salvations," he was deeply moved, having personally experienced a miracle in this matter. He has witnessed great miracles and enormous salvation thanks to silence during prayer.<\/p>

Here is the full story as recounted by this Jew, Mr. Alexander Moshe ben Leah Landau, for his complete recovery, and published here with his permission so that it may merit him a speedy and full recovery through the awakening and strengthening in this sublime matter.<\/p>

"The story began about ten months ago, at the end of the month of Tevet, 5775. I started experiencing severe pains in the kidney area. At first, I thought I had kidney stones, causing the pain. I went to the doctor for a checkup, who found no stones but did notice blood. He sent me for extensive examinations, CT scans, and various blood tests. A few days later, doctors gave me the grim news: I had been diagnosed with the dreadful disease, God forbid, a malignant tumor that had started in the liver area and had already spread to all surrounding organs. The chances of recovery were low, God have mercy, to the point that surgery to remove the tumor wasn't even an option, and the situation was dire.<\/p>

(Photo: shutterstock)

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"Immediately after learning about the illness invading my body, I informed all my friends and acquaintances. I didn't try to hide it, because I believed the more people prayed for me, the more likely the prayers would be accepted in heaven, and Hashem would send me a swift recovery. On the first Shabbat, I didn't go to pray at the prayer house in my city due to my great weakness, but during the following week, my strength gradually returned. I spoke with various community members and individuals who instilled hope and reassured me. I tried to strengthen my complete faith in the Creator of all worlds to save me from my illness and didn't allow despair to take hold of me in any way.<\/p>

"On the second Shabbat, feeling better, I went to pray at the synagogue. Before the prayer, the gabbai approached me and asked if I agreed to use my name for a fundraising campaign without soliciting funds. I agreed willingly. He ascended the bimah before the Torah reading, described my condition to the public, and called upon all congregants to commit to not conversing during prayer from 'Adon Olam' to 'Adon Olam,' and for this merit, Hashem should send a complete recovery to my illness.<\/p>

"Indeed, his call was heeded by the congregants. The following Tuesday, the gabbai visited my home, handing me a page with 80 signatures of the synagogue members committing not to engage in idle talk during prayer from its beginning to end, not even during the aliya auctions or between aliyot, and this merit would be for my complete recovery.<\/p>

(Photo: shutterstock)

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"The following Shabbat, absolute silence reigned in the synagogue during the entire prayer, and the members kept to their commitment. Meanwhile, I began chemotherapy treatments, and my health started to improve remarkably. Initially, my blood count numbers were at 33,000 due to the illness (a healthy person has around 32), and after 12 weeks, when they conducted a follow-up test, the doctors were astounded to discover the numbers had drastically decreased to 3,200. The doctor immediately contacted me, surprised yet excited, saying the phenomenon was inexplicable according to medical science. Normally, numbers drop by a few thousand in such a short period, but here they dropped by nearly 30,000. It was also found that the tumor had begun to disappear significantly, beyond expectations, providing much hope for recovery through continued treatments with Hashem's help.<\/p>

"I continued with the treatments, and after another 12 weeks, they conducted an additional follow-up test. Again, the doctor contacted me with amazement, informing me that the numbers were already below 300. They had never seen anything like it, and all the department staff at the hospital knows my case and the great miracle observed in me.<\/p>

"I am convinced, without any doubt, that this merit of silence during prayer stood by me up until now, continues to do so in the present, and will in the future, with Hashem's help. It is only due to this that the numbers decrease, and my health improves day by day. Before last Rosh Hashanah, I wrote an emotional letter to all my friends in the prayer house, thanking them from the depths of my heart for their efforts and endeavors on my behalf, and urged them to continue to be cautious and diligent about this important and lofty matter, and for this merit, Hashem will listen to my prayers, sending me a complete recovery from the heavens.<\/p>

"I agreed to publicize my story to show everyone the immense importance of refraining from talking during prayer and Torah reading, as I have seen and experienced firsthand that this virtue was fulfilled for me in the fullest sense of the term."<\/p>