A 40-Year-Old Single Woman Got Engaged, A Couple Without Children for 10 Years Has a Baby – Thanks to One Moment That Opened the Gates of Salvation

Rabbi Nahum Teitelbaum shared in the 'Hashgacha Pratit' bulletin a scenario he had never experienced in his life. And what happened afterward? You'll be surprised too. Here's his story: "About a year and a half ago, during Pesach 5782, my older sister invited us to stay at her house during the first day of Pesach for the first time. We happily accepted the invitation, as my sister and brother-in-law had been married for a decade by then and were still childless. I understood that my sister wanted to also experience 'rejoice in your festival' and share her joy with family and playful children who bring a lot of chaos, happiness, and joy. She also knew that hospitality is a good omen for having children, and I was chosen to fulfill this merit."

We knew this was the place to celebrate the holiday with her and be their guests for the Seder. It was a wonderful Shabbat and holiday. We received special hospitality from my brother-in-law and sister, who maintained a good and pleasant atmosphere throughout our stay. They welcomed our children's bursts of playfulness and the traces of mess they left behind at every opportunity. We sang together *zemirot* to the Living God, and the Seder and holiday meals were celebrated with uplifted spirits. After thirty hours of hosting, we parted with a good feeling, and as we stood at their doorstep, we wished them from the depths of our hearts to be blessed with a child, so they wouldn't have to invite guests just to make noise. As I left my sister's house, I felt my heart warmed with a powerful desire to see their home filled with the blessing of Hashem. Until then, I had mentioned the couple's names at every opportunity and prayed briefly at the graves of righteous people, and sometimes we even performed family rituals that required significant effort. But routine dulls the sense of wonder, and with all the sadness, one could say we got used to the idea that they needed salvation, and their situation became a reality that no longer evoked too much sorrow, as this is the way of the world."

On the way home, I asked the Creator of the universe to guide me on the right path. "Master of the World," I pleaded, "I don't know what I need to do to hasten salvation for my sister and brother-in-law. Please guide me on what I need to do. That I will know what strength I should take upon myself, or which prayer to pray. Please, Hashem, save now, open the gates of mercy and will, and grant me to draw salvation for my dear sister." I prayed from the depths of my heart, and to my astonishment, the next day I received an answer. It truly was a situation of ‘ask and receive’."

"He Scolded Me Harshly. I Wanted the Floor to Open and Swallow Me"

As is tradition in Jewish communities during the intermediate days of festivals, our study hall in Bnei Brak hosts speakers to deliver lessons in all disciplines of the Torah, including law and matters of the day, to uphold the sages' words – "festivals were given to Israel only for engaging in Torah study." I, too, participated in the lessons. As one of the lectures I attended progressed, a question arose. Someone intervened and argued against the lecturer. A listener tried to quiet him, another tried to mediate, and a small commotion ensued. Suddenly the lecturer raised his voice and directed his gaze at me with sharp eyes, starting to scold me harshly. I was not involved in the matter at all, neither had I intervened nor did I claim anything this time. By mistake, the lecturer thought I was guilty of it. There is no explanation for the lecturer's behavior, except that Hashem heard my prayer and arranged this public humiliation. It wasn't just humiliation, it was with no less than two hundred and fifty people watching. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before, nor had I seen anyone speak to a Jew in such a manner. There was no option to justify myself and say I hadn't opened my mouth on the matter they were arguing about. I realized any word would only worsen the situation. The only thing that could save me was if the ground beneath me opened and swallowed me immediately. But the floor remained intact, and I couldn't leave the study hall, as this would only cause further embarrassment. I waited until the lecture ended, they recited Kaddish de-Rabbanan, and during the Kaddish, I made my way out, to escape and avoid confronting anyone. I hurried home, and fortunately, it was empty."

My wife had taken the children to her mother's house, and I entered a room, feeling miserable and drained, to nurse my pain and recover from the humiliating incident. The fortunate part was that for the past four years, I've been listening to the 'Hashgacha Pratit' line. Had this happened before then, there's no doubt I would have responded differently. I might have sunk into deep pain and blame, and who knows how I would have come out of the story. But as someone who listens attentively to the line for four years, I already knew that no force in the world can help or harm, not itself nor others if it’s not by the will of the Creator. I stood and said I forgive the lecturer. I thanked for the refined atonement with which my sins were expiated and requested that indeed I merit true forgiveness. I placed my right hand on the room's mezuzah, and turned to the King who hears prayers and examines hearts and minds, with words from the depths of my heart. Words I did not believe I had the power to utter. I said that now my heart warms up to help my dear sister and hasten her salvation, and therefore I beg that Hashem bless her with children. So I whispered and requested, pleaded, and implored."

"He Disgraced the Cantor in Public Several Times During the Services, and Then He Even Said..."

Then a thought of slight fear arose in my heart, lest tomorrow the evil inclination comes and cools me from the great excitement of receiving the humiliation, and then Heaven forbid there will be a blemish in the blessing I blessed my sister. What can be done? I called the 'Hashgacha Pratit' line, and I was immediately connected to the last story that was told in the confidence gate classes. And here – divine providence within providence, came a story of a Jew named Rabbi Yechezkel Bercher, a cantor who was invited to a synagogue abroad for Shabbat Parashat Parah, for a Shabbat Sheva Brachot, to enhance with his voice. There was an old man there who felt that the cantor took his place, and he disgraced the cantor in public several times during the prayers, and even told him by the pulpit in a loud voice, that it is proper for him to come to ‘Parashat Parah’, because he himself deserves the title of Red Heifer... While he flushed red, a young man among the congregants, Rabbi Mordechai Tzvi Green by name, approached him and beseeched the cantor to forgive and pardon, to work a salvation for his relative who had been married for seven years and still had no children. The cantor blessed with all his heart, that thanks to his forgiving the old man for the insults, the young man from the Berger family would be blessed with a child. When he returned home, he told his wife all that had happened to him and about ‘the Parashat Parah’. His wife told him: "And what about 'do not ignore your own flesh'? Until you pray for a Jew you don't know, pray for our relative." That relative was a bachelor nearing thirty, in need of a match. Rabbi Yechezkel replied: "The shames were so great, we could divide them among several families. Let the relative of the praying young man be blessed, and also our relative, to quickly find a suitable match." He also prayed for him, and indeed both blessings were fulfilled. A few weeks later, the bachelor got engaged with good fortune, and a year later, on Parashat Parah again, Rabbi Yechezkel was invited back to the same synagogue, this time also receiving an invitation to participate in a *kiddush* held in honor of the birth of a daughter for the happy Berger family."

This story that I heard on the 'Hashgacha Pratit' line strengthened me that I acted correctly and also allowed me to understand that this is a wonderful moment of favor, and like Rabbi Yechezkel blessed two and both were saved, I can also make the most of this favorable moment. I remembered a relative of my mother-in-law, a noble-hearted woman at the age of forty, who still hadn't established a home in Israel. This was while all her younger siblings had long since established homes. I prayed for her to find a suitable match. I also prayed for a family member who lives nearby, who for eight years has had only one daughter, to be blessed with a son. And I even asked for myself, that I would be able to teach Torah to students, thereby putting the God-given talents I have into practice."

I promised that when my sister would be saved and the other salvations would occur, I would publish the story to strengthen other Jews, just as I was strengthened by stories that were aired on the line. Now I am fulfilling my promise. On the eve of Pesach this year, almost a year since that event, my sister arrived home holding a precious jewel in her arms – a healthy and whole daughter for long days and good years. In the month of Nisan, a decent proposal also came for the forty-year-old relative of my mother-in-law. The match was subsequently finalized with good fortune, and the wedding has already taken place. In the month of Adar 5783, my close relative living nearby, who had only one daughter until now, was blessed with a son and held a circumcision ceremony. As for myself, without any endeavor on my part since that prayer, I was called to teach Torah to students in a youth yeshiva starting in Elul 5782. May Hashem help me fulfill my role with faith, to enlarge and glorify the Torah."

I thank Hashem for his great kindness, for the bitter humiliations and the sweet end. May we all merit to see salvations, satisfaction, joy, and expansion. May Hashem shine His face and grant peace to all His people Israel."