Value of a Dollar
A businessman facing disgrace and ruin – in the end saving two souls with the help of a mezuzah. A Chassid in for Tishrei – in the end learning and leaving a special lesson on the wisdom of crowds. The Avner Institute presents two fascinating anecdotes, with special thanks to Rabbis Shmuel Gurevitz and Pinny Lew, highlighting the special power of the Rebbe’s blessings to those who stood in line Sunday for “dollars” and saw reversal of fortune or change of perspective.
Dedicated in memory of loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h
“On Every Doorpost”
It was in Lyons, France. Two brothers, Rabbis Shmuel and Sholom Gurevitz, the two Chabad emissaries there, made a lavish fundraising dinner for the local institutions they had established.
Now, every fundraiser needed some kind of “gimmick.” Theirs would be a compilation of video clips of the participants who had some time or another appeared before the Rebbe for “dollars.”
The idea was uplifting. Who on earth could watch himself standing before the holy leader and remain indifferent?
As expected, the audience gazed appreciatively as they recognized their friends and neighbors among the visitors at 770. One person who was particularly touched was Alain Saban, one of the community’s largest donors, whom the Rebbe blessed with “l’hakamas beis ha’seifer” – establishment of the school. At the sight of his image on the screen he motioned to the two rabbis and asked to go up to the podium.
Here was his story.
Year of Construction
We were a happy family and still are – myself, my wife, and my daughter. We had whatever we wanted. But then one day, my wife fell gravely ill. In desperation I traveled to the Rebbe, and during the “dollars” I asked him for a blessing for my wife.
The Rebbe gave me a dollar. Then another. “For the school you will establish,” he said.
How did the Rebbe know about that?
The Friday beforehand, my friend, Rabbi Sholom Gurevitz, had informed the Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner, that I was building a large hotel in Nice which could also serve as a school for hotel management. It was 5748, 1988, which the Rebbe had declared as shnas habinyan, the Year of Construction.” In the spirit of that special year I had decided to build a huge building.
Afterwards, the secretary told us that the Rebbe was delighted at the news. So accordingly, the Rebbe gave me that fateful day a blessing for the new hotel. As I was about to leave, the he said, “When you open the hotel, make sure to place mezuzoth on every doorway.”
With this blessing, I immediately began preparations for the hotel management school, together with the magnificent hotel. It was no small job, and it took years of work, long after 5748, before it was completed.
For the opening ceremony, I invited all the distinguished personalities of Nice. The tables were laden with delicacies, and everyone crowded around in anticipation of the official opening. I myself waited patiently for my two special guests before the ceremony would begin.
At last two people walked in. They were Chassidim with beards, long black coats, and black hats – the whole look. The guests, all bedecked in Western glamor and finery, stared at them in bewilderment, as if these two men had just walked in off a Hollywood movie set. To their further surprise, I walked over to the two men and greeted them with a warm hug and handshake.
I spun around and announced, “The guests have arrived! Now we can begin.”
I continued, “I didn’t open my school and hotel without the blessing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He told me to affix mezuzoth in every room, on every doorpost. These two men are his shluchim, his representatives here in France. I asked them to come to the grand opening specially to place mezuzoth on the main entranceways.”
And that’s how the hotel opened – with mezuzoth on every doorpost.
Certain Crisis
Years passed. The hotel, unfortunately, was not the success I envisioned. Eventually it sank deep into debt and I had to declare bankruptcy. Losses racked up in the millions, much of which had not belonged to me but were funds borrowed from various banks and businessmen. Knowing at the time that after the bankruptcy these creditors would never see their money again hurt me more than anything else. To this day I am an upstanding person, not a cheat.
Government authorities blamed the bankruptcy on fraud. A special auditor was appointed to ascertain whether the business had legitimately failed due to human error and bad luck or to embezzlement.
The assessment was highly unpleasant. Although I knew I hadn’t stolen a single franc, I was extremely nervous, for who knew whether this little man would be convinced of my integrity?
Sadly, my fears proved justified. I was called to various meetings at the auditor’s office and asked to answer questions hinting at the direction the auditor was leading. He produced a report that based on his findings, I had embezzled.
To say the least, things got really unpleasant. I had to prove that I hadn’t stolen any money. My family stood by my side and offered whatever help they could. They all prayed for my health and for a successful resolution.
But things got even worse. My house was confiscated and sold. My parents quickly bought it back to keep me out of a bottomless depression, as the doctors warned would happen.
Fateful Resolution
The day of the auditor’s decision arrived. I sat in my office and awaited the worst.
The little man walked in. I saw him stand and gaze upon the mezuzah in the doorway. He glanced around the office, which was practically adorned with pictures of myself with senior officials, including president of France. The walls were lined were credentials — certificates of appreciation and professional diplomas attesting to my reputation in the hotel business. And in the center, standing proudest of all, was a huge picture of me receiving a dollar from the Rebbe.
The auditor gazed at this particular photo for some time. At last he sat down in the chair facing me and took out a stack of papers. I sat and trembled, knowing with near certainty that I would be officially informed of my enormous lost investment and financial mismanagement.
To my surprise, the auditor began defending me.
“It has come to my attention,” he began, “that there were a number of odd mistakes made by an inexperienced hotel owner, which had led to a further chain of mishaps.”
He droned on and on, reading through the documents, with me nearly falling asleep. Finally, he ended the tedium with his remarks: “There is still a chance to save the business.”
I perked up. “Are you serious?”
He nodded. “I will ask that government funds be sent to start the ball rolling again.”
I was flabbergasted. Panting with relief, I notified my wife and friends. I could only thank G-d for this miracle.
As the auditor packed up his papers, I asked him, “Tell me, please. Since everyone within my radius was expecting the vilest report – what made you change your mind?
The auditor looked up from his briefcase. “This morning, before coming here to give you my decision, I walked to the different floors of the hotel and noticed something interesting. There was a mezuzah on every door.”
Triple Miracle
He began his own tale.
“I too am Jewish. I’m from Austria originally – my wife and I both lived there. In 1938, by the skin of our teeth we managed to flee the anti-Semitism and the tragedy to follow. We somehow made it through the war and arrived in France. We decided to change our way of life so that no one would know who we once were. We tried to hide our Jewish identity as much as we could.
“When I saw the mezuzoth, I recognized them at once. However, growing up unobservant, I had had very little to do with them – I thought you put up one on the front door or maybe a big room, and that was it. Yet here I was, seeing a mezuzah on every single doorpost in the hundreds of rooms. And I knew full well that this wasn’t your personal home.
“I figured that a person so meticulous couldn’t possibly be a thief and a liar.
“I came to your main office and again noticed a mezuzah in every doorway. I also saw the picture of that rabbi, whom I could see was a holy man. I knew only one thing – I had to return to my Jewish roots.”
Tears in his eyes, Mr. Saban finished his own speech. “From that point on, the path to complete teshuva was short. I merited two miracles.
“First, the Rebbe saw the future, advising me to place a mezuzah on every door of my hotel. Second, the Rebbe saved a Jewish couple from assimilation and brought them back to Judaism.
“But another miracle happened. Since then, I have established a chain of hotels all over Europe – all because of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of course!”
“Effects of a Packed Crowd”
Rabbi Moshe Yaroslavsky relates:
For many years my wife and I looked after numerous guests who came to New York for Tishrei with the Rebbe.
One year, on a Sunday, 15 Cheshvan, with the holidays long over, my wife and I were done and we prepared to return to Eretz Yisroel. But first, we decided to go to the line for “dollars” and ask the Rebbe for a blessing.
The Rebbe gave me an additional dollar, saying, “For the guests.” He also gave my wife an extra dollar and again said, “For the guests.”
My wife and I stared at each other in bewilderment. “But Rebbe,” my wife finally said, “Tishrei ended two weeks ago. We haven’t been actively involved since then.”
The Rebbe motioned to me and replied, “Yesterday I saw him involved with guests.”
At first I didn’t quite understand. Then, after reflection, I remembered something.
At the Shabbos farbrengen I happened to be standing by the Rebbe’s table near a bunch of guests, among them a group from Brazil and a group from Los Angeles. The place was packed. Yeshiva students were practically hanging from the rafters; people were jammed like sardines, with no room to breathe. The overcrowding was unbelievable – so unbelievable that one of the guests said it was sakanas nefashos, endangering lives.
I turned around and remarked that at one of the tishen, tables and gathering places of the Gerrer Rebbe, Avrohom Mordechai, in Eretz Yisroel, the overcrowding was equally terrible and that someone there had yelled out, “Sakanas nefafashos!”
To which the Gerrer Rebbe replied, “Takanas nefashos – fixing of souls!”
All the guests in my vicinity smiled at my little tale. In truth, we were all souls needing to be fixed and feeling the effects of a packed crowd.
Just then the Rebbe turned in our direction. I realized that this is what the Rebbe meant when he said, “I saw him involved with guests.”
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