The following story happened to a bochur in Yeshiva Schools and Lubavitch Center of Pittsburgh Mesivta this past Friday (4/27/12) on mivtzoim:
A bochur from Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh Mesivta was in front of a major grocery store doing mivtzoim when he saw a man nearing. “Are you Jewish?” he asked.
The man replied, “Yes, but I don’t want your stuff!”
So he asked the man, “What don’t you want?”
“You want me to put on Tefillin. I’m not interested. Judaism is fake.”
And then the man added, “I invested with Bernie Madoff, and he stole all my money, and slaughtering animals is painful to the animals and cruel etc.”
The man was going on and on, while walking into the store, then to the bakery. All the while, the bochur followed him around, listening to his rant.
Then the man told the bochur that he tried out all different religions and that he now lives in Arizona, but was in Pittsburgh because he was totally broke – he didn’t even own a cell phone!
As the man started to get into his car, with the bochur still listening to him, he began to tear up…
The bochur, feeling a little uncomfortable, pulled a $10 bill out of his pocket and slipped it into the man’s pocket and blessed him that with G-d’s help you will become a millionaire starting with these ten dollars.
With that, the man began to sob, and told the bochur that never had a person in the street give him money. “Usually it was the other way around.”
The man agreed to put on Tefillin. The bochur then told him to pour his heart out to Hashem. The person, while crying, spoke to Hashem for some time, then he screamed out “Hashem, I love you!”
Then he took the bochur’s hand and started to dance, all while still wearing Tefillin. After this whole saga, the man said, “I can’t take your $10 because your dad’s going to be upset that you gave away the spending money that he gave you.”
The bochur answered that his father would be very proud and happy that he gave the money away. The man however insisted on returning the money.
Then and there the bochur called his father and put the phone on speaker phone, telling his father who he planned to give $10 to and asked his father what he thought about that.
His father told the man that he was very proud, and that those were the best $10 dollars that he would have ever spent.
With that, the bochur asked the man to promise that whenever someone would ask him to put on Tefillin, he would agree without an argument and the man readily agreed.
That’s the end of this story that happened to a bochur from the Mesivta this past Friday…But who knows?
keep up the good work.
Beatiful Story
Thanks for sharing such an uplifting story
amazing Kiddush Hashem!
he is truly an amazing bochur
nice writing YR
We are so proud of you and always continue to admire your dedication and your sincear honesty. We love you very much and can’t wait to see you.
You are a true example of lighting the one flame that spreads through to all our Jewish Brethern. May this be the Mitzvah to tip the scale and bring The Moshiach!
may the Rebbe Shlita have much nachas from this bochur
One of the primary lessons I see from this story is: Often, when challenged by another Jew regarding our Yiddishkeit etc., we tend to go in to “defensive” mode and feel the need to argue or the like. Knowing what Chassidus and the Rebbe have taught us countless times about the inner psyche of EVERY Yid – despite what he may seem to be preaching externally – the “Best Practice” is to remain silent and show ATTENTION and INTEREST in what the other person is saying. Respond by asking “open ended questions”, something to the effect of: “That’s quite interesting.… Read more »
As a Shliach all i can say is KOL HAKOVOD!!!
best mesivta out there 🙂
this type of mivtzoyim and hishkashrus to the Rebbe Shlita’s inyonim is what is going to bring Moshiach now. every bocher should look up to him
wow what an amazing story! May he countinue to keep giving Hashem, the Rebbe Shlita, his parents, and his hanhola yiddishe and chasidishe nachas.
Well I am inspired! Who knows what impression this story will leave on me tomorrow as I go back out there and do my thing. Thank you for posting!
It seems like this bochur and the sixteen year old girl who wrote about tznius role models are a representation of who the youth is today and what they are capable of achieving! Let’s build them up!!
That’s my Rebbe in him doing mivtzoyim
Only a Bochur who truly feels Hiskashrus to the Rebbe is ready and willing to give up his money for the Rebbes Inyonim. May you continue to have Miseras Nefesh in doing the Rebbe’s work , and spreading the wellsprings. Moshiach Now!
The family is truly proud of you. You continue to make our neshamas beam. We love you soooooo much. The fact that you want to keep anonymous and just keep the Mitzvah abroad without taking any kavod for yourself, truly exemplifies who you truly are. We love you.
kola Kovod
the school is dooing good work with our children
Most importantly to everyones fine middos and great foundations, We Must NEVER forget to be greatful and very very very Thankful To Hashem for all the wonderous miracles that we encounter daily.
This will be said at the next farbregen,and I hope that all those who read this story will get inspired to do more mivtzoyim and give hashem and the rebbe much nachas
May this bochur have many more opportunities to help transform peoples lives.
Thank you for doing such a beautiful thing and thank you for posting a great story!
these are the stories i like to read the ones that makes the rebbe proud
While it is true Pittsburgh is a fine Lubavitch school and does produce great students, we must also credit his parents. Everything is foundation, clearly his parents instilled fine middos and strong KINDNESS for mankind. May he be one of the next great leaders. AMEN!
GO PITTSBURGH!!!!!
The best ever! See wht came out of it?!
go pittsburgh. you guys are on a roll
YR wrote the story, and very nicely!
As someone that is more than close to the amazing bachur that changed someone’s life, i want to thank Hashem for giving me someone like this in my life, for me to admire and look up to. It was 100% hashkacha prat is, that on that street and at that precise moment the man passed by. It was at that given moment that Hashem gave the bachur the opportunity to change someone’s life, and the boy took that opportunity. I know Hashem and the Rebbe are beaming and shepping Nachas from their dear son, who on that day represented the… Read more »
See this weeks sicha Chelak Alef, Parshas Kedoshim about Ahavas Yisroel….(for the sicha in English email [email protected])
Now I know what to do next time just give a 5 dollar bill and say” g-d bless you text year you should own a rolls royce”. I wish some one blessed me with a rolls royce
I am a 9 year old next time I know
To #22. may you continue to shepp nachas from your son, who Is a very good bochur, which cares allot about the rebbes mivtzoim! Ad meah vesrim
Moshiach now!
brother, very nice story. cr
the rebbe must have been with him all through it kol hakovod
everyone should learn from him
The bochur is not YR
it rocks!
Just to clarify: the bochur in the story is not YR
This story is just the gist of what had transpired. His name is NOT Moshe Frank. He is my son, he did not want his name to be published. Needless to say we are so very proud of him. This situation transpired over an hour. The man was crying for almost thirty minutes until he calmed down and put the teffilin on. It was a most moving story and we are always so proud to be blessed with such a fine son. May Hashem give all the Buchrim Safety and Health until 120 to ask ” Are You Jewish”
His name is Moshe Frank – he’s active at Chabad of Wall St.
But as was mentioned, this is an “Illustration photo”
Bochur- who are you?
I would like to see you messed over by Bernie Madoff and not feel negative towards yiddishkeit. The guy doesnt need psych help he just needs a job and a friend. So yasher koyach to the bucher who had the patience to listen to the mans woes and show a little care toward him. It shows that listening goes a long way…….. hint hint to parents teachers and hanhola out there!! You can change someones life just by listening to them.
m.f. ur in pittsburgh???
!!
pittsburgh has an amazing school and community!!!
look at what they produce!
Its not Ruchniyus alone that bring a Yid closer. Gashmiyus is also needed. We have to bribe the animal soul.
as the frierdike rebbe said, this is the most important and then beruchinyos. Beautiful story.
One of the biggest emotional problems of the western society is that we forgot how to cry. A good cry once in a while can be very healthy emotionally, especially when the crying is done in public.
wow this story brought tears to my eyes this is trully an amazing story, sometimes all someone needs is a listoning ear !!!!!
truly amazing. Kol hakavod
#7 not everyone the tears up needs physic help some just need to put on tifflin, cool story.
now we have a beautiful story! only Good news! MOSHIACH NOW!!!
Im sure the Rebbe has nachas from this,we could all do the same
sounds like that fellow is in urgent need of some psychological intervention, what a roller-coaster of emotion and an insinuation about shechita. I smell a rat.
who ever wrote this story is a great writer
The Bochur is Y.R
BS”D
This Bochur should be looked at very Highly, and I wish to hear MANY stories like this in the future!
Story that brings tears to ones eyes and proves never to give up on a Yid
Can we get a name bochur?
What an amazing story. You see even when someone says no to one mitzvah, it is our opportunity to show them we can do the mitzvah of ahavas Yisroel.
Yasher Koach to this bochur, and for being such an amazing PERSON and CHOSSID.