A Banker's Daughter: A Story of Faith and Healing
A heartwarming tale about Rabbi Kaduri, who prayed for the healing of a bank manager's daughter in Argentina. From the book 'Yeshua Yitzchak'.
- הרב מאיר מלכא
- פורסם ט"ז חשון התשע"ד
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One autumn evening in Jerusalem in 1992, my dear friend A.D., who was very close to the rabbi and had been blessed by him, shared an incredibly moving story: Our rabbi sat at the third Shabbat meal, radiating light, when suddenly, without any prior notice, the manager of 'Mashao', the largest bank in Argentina, Mr. Zephadiah Ellis, entered his home. With a choked voice, he told of his daughter, who had been lying in a coma for the past month, unresponsive, and not acknowledging any of those trying to reach out to her.
He added, 'Everyone is praying and hoping that she will just open her eyes or say a word. I brought the greatest and most expert doctors from Argentina, with no results. I have a request, honored rabbi, that you come to Argentina just to bless my daughter so she can rise from her sickbed.'
Our rabbi replied that the journey was far, and it would be very difficult for him to fly such a long distance. Mr. Zephadiah offered to charter a special Concorde jet for the rabbi. Although this was the fastest plane in the world, it couldn’t land in our country due to short runways, only from an airport like Paris. Therefore, if the rabbi could get to Paris and fly from there on the Concorde, it would save more than half the flight time to the destination. But to Mr. Zephadiah’s disappointment, he received a negative response due to the significant geographical distance. But as we know, solutions are in the hands of Hashem.
Amazingly, after Shabbat, our rabbi blessed the wine, spices, and candle according to the method of Rabbeinu Tam of blessed memory. The phone rang at the rabbi’s house, and on the other end of the line was a friend and acquaintance of the rabbi from France, who requested and invited the rabbi to serve as a sandak (godfather) in France. The rabbi agreed since he never refused a request to be a sandak.
On Tuesday, the rabbi arrived in Paris. Everyone welcomed his holy presence with songs and music. Holding his tallit, he blessed 'to wrap oneself in tzitzit,' and draped his pure body with a white, spotless tallit. Wrapped in white, the baby was circumcised on his knees. The mohel cut and completed the circumcision, and the rabbi soothed him with the wine of Kiddush. Our rabbi blessed the entire sacred gathering present, in the presence of Mr. Zephadiah, who came specifically to Paris to once again ask our holy rabbi to come to Argentina on a plane he had specially chartered for the rabbi and his entourage.
'Only three hours of flight,' promised Mr. Zephadiah, and we'll reach our destination in peace. Our rabbi felt Mr. Zephadiah’s sorrow for his daughter, lying on her deathbed, and this time agreed to his request. After the festive meal, our rabbi joined Mr. Zephadiah in his car, heading towards Charles de Gaulle Airport. The Concorde aircraft, with its long nose, received takeoff clearance from the control tower in Paris; everyone fastened their seatbelts, and our rabbi recited the traveler’s blessing that Hashem would guide the hands at the helm to lead them safely through the air, so they reach their destination healthy and whole.
With a roar and the power of its engines, the plane soared high into the sky at tremendous speed, piercing a path through the gray clouds covering the horizon, truly a magnificent power. How great are Your works, Hashem. Tons of metal and plastic, seats, men, women, and children lift into the air, speeding from Paris to Argentina in South America. Three hours, a true 'leap of the way.' The plane lands. Noise, screeching, and the wheels braking on the runway, the plane comes to a peaceful stop. 'Blessed is Hashem, we have arrived safely at our destination,' the rabbi murmurs, thanking our Father in Heaven. He rises from the comfortable plane seat and slowly walks towards the plane door opened in his honor.
At the airport, the then-President of Argentina awaited our rabbi, greeting him with a warm welcome and joining him in the vehicle that waited along with Mr. Zephadiah, heading straight to the hospital to bless the girl in a coma.
Slowly, the rabbi walked through the hospital's gray corridors towards the girl's room, while all the patients, most of whom are not of our nation, looked and were moved by his radiant face as bright as the sky, each hoping for complete healing according to their ailments.
The rabbi reached her room, asked to be alone for a few minutes to mediate, pray, and plead for the sick girl lying lifeless. Yet, it seemed as though she responded to the heavenly words pouring from his mouth, pleading for the girl in her comatose state. Then he called her family to her bedside and blessed them. Filled with excitement and radiating his light, he left the hospital heading to his host’s home in Argentina. That day was a tremendous Kiddush Hashem. All the patients who stood awed by the rabbi's glowing presence were discharged from the hospital healthy and whole by evening. How marvelous are Your deeds, Hashem, as it says: 'And from many evil ailments, You uplifted us,' and it says, 'Your kindness did not leave us.' As it is said, 'Praise and thank His Name.' Truly a Kiddush Hashem in public.
Two days passed, and the girl opened her eyes and observed those surrounding her, yet still lay mute. It was a beacon of hope. By Hashem's grace, she awoke from her deep coma, but still wasn’t fully conscious. Her family began to rejoice with the image of our rabbi before them, thanking Hashem, 'the one who awakens the sleepers and arouses those slumbering, revives the dead with great mercy,' thanks to the tzaddik, as it is said: 'The righteous decrees and Hashem fulfills.' And they continue their prayers that with our rabbi’s merit she returns to her original strength.
After ten days, by the grace of Hashem and thanks to our rabbi, the girl regained full consciousness and stood on her feet as if nothing had happened. 'The King who brings death and gives life,' thanks to the prayers of our holy rabbi, a Kiddush Hashem in public.The heartwarming story was extensively covered by every media outlet in Argentina, in front of many non-Jews. 'And all the peoples shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you.'
This story is from the book 'Yeshua Yitzchak'. For details, call now 073-222-1-250
