One Storekeeper in Leipzig | Rabbi Sender Y. Kaszirer

There is a story that is told over that transpired in Leipzig, Germany, around 150 years ago. Leipzig, at that time, the late 1800s, as one can imagine, already had the winds of השכלה, there were lots of Nisyonos in that city, and surely presented challenges for one to live there to be מחנך his children, and to live a life full with Torah and יראת שמיים. Mr. Garfinkel had a store there on the main street of Leipzig, Germany, but he was somewhat of a Chiddush. He was able to retain his sense of יראת שמיים, he was able to be מחנך his children in a proper way, and surely, surely, whoever came and did business with him noticed how extremely careful he was with Shmiras Einayim. Leipzig at that time was the center, there were many fairs, many trade shows there, so different Yidden used to come to Leipzig and whenever they needed an island of Kedushah, they would come into Mr. Garfinkel’s store and they would be able to feel the Kedushah and the יראת שמיים, that was in this simple Yid’s store. And over and over again, the Yidden would ask him, Herr Garfinkel, Mr. Garfinkel, how do you do it? How is it possible here in Leipzig, Germany, to be able to retain this level of יראת שמיים? Mr. Garfinkel would never give them an answer. He would always ignore the question and duck the question. It happened one time that over the Yom Tov of Purim, a group of Chasidim happened to be in Leipzig, and they invited Mr. Garfinkel to their Purim Seuda. They said: We're making a Seuda. Come join us. At that Seuda, they gave Mr. Garfinkel a few L’Chaims, and after he got a little bit to the state of עד דלא ידע, he got a little bit to the state of drinking a little bit too much, they finally asked him that question. Mr. Garfinkel, tell us your secret. He said, Every night when I go to sleep, I say קריאת שמע על המיטה, and I say these words, Every night before we go to sleep, we give Hashem our Neshama and he returns it back to us in the morning. And I speak to Hashem like a loving father. I tell him: Liber Tatte, beloved Tatte, if you know that tomorrow I will be able to withstand the Nisyonos, I will be able to be proper in my Torah and Mitzvos and יראת שמיים, then do me a favor, give my Neshama back to me. But if you know, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, that tomorrow I will not be able to withstand the Nisyonos that's out there in the streets of Leipzig, then do me a favor, keep it. When hearing these words, the Chasidim started crying, and they came back to their Rebbe, to the Heilige Lechevitcher, and he said, There is a Yid in Germany that the entire world stands on his zchus. The world stands on his zchus, by having this conversation with HaKadosh Baruch Hu. True, there are many Nisyonos out there on the street, and we're constantly trying to withstand the Nisyonos. One of the greatest Eitzas is the Eitza of Mr. Garfinkel. Speak to HaKadosh Baruch Hu like a loving father. Talk to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Liber Tatte, help me with the Nisyonos of the street. Help me be able to withstand. Help me being able to be strong. And when we have that relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, we have that connection with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will surely give us the Kochos and the Chizuk to be able to withstand the Nisyonos that's out there today on the street.