A Crazy Story… (Only in Tzfat)

So, it's after shacharis here in Heimish. This is the rosh kol, the rosh yeshiva, Rav Aryeh Wincelberg, shlita. And today he's going to tell us a fascinating story. There's a reason Guys, I want you to watch this video till the end, okay? So, Ari recently got back from a skiing trip where you went to the French Alps? Yeah, to Courchevel, Meribel, La Vallée de Belleville. Okay, I have no idea what you just said, but apparently it's a place in the French Alps. And he comes back from this trip a couple weeks ago, and all of a sudden he has new tefillin. And I said, "What happened to your tefillin?" So, Ari, what happened to your tefillin? So, actually we were in this beautiful chalet with two companies, with a bunch of chevre. Was that like guys from America? Guys from primarily America and Belgium. And you went there to ski? We went there to go on a They went on a company ski trip, and I was the entertainment/plus one. Okay. And when we got there, they had a private chef. It was It was It was a It was a Schwitzer program. Okay. And it was really beautiful, and at night when the chef made everything and the mashgiach is there, um mashgiach actually is a mashgiach in Uman during uh Rosh Hashanah. I forgot his name offhand, but he was there making sure everything's kosher. The mashgiach comes and quickly tells us that the chef is a yid. And So, you hadn't known that the chef was Jewish? >> No idea. No idea. I don't even know what he knew of his yid. Okay. And the chef is a yid, and we It was very interesting. We started talking to him about Yiddishkeit. And the next day the oilam that I was with, they're a little more I don't know, reserved, they're not so comfortable. They They were They were like hacking that he's a yid, and somebody said, "Maybe we should put tefillin on him." I said, "It's a great idea. Do one of them say "Amen." And let's go ask him if he wants to put on tefillin. So, right before ski around mincha time, after we all came back from skiing, we were in We drank a lot, so like our emotions are already a little bit settled. I go over to the guy and say, "Do you want to put on tefillin?" Yeah. And his eyes lit up, and I I can't even describe to you the way his eyes lit up. And it was it was an incredible experience, actually, getting a first-timer. I think it may have been my first or second time ever doing a first-timer, but it the the first time was like zero relationship. And over here like the eyes lit up, and after he put on tefillin, he started crying. And he started telling people how this was the most emotional friend, and then I started crying cuz it was just such an emotional mo- moment that everybody's looking around, and it was absolutely incredible how emotional it got. That was the end of the story. That was the end of the story. So, so We were still on that day. So, wait, so that's the end of the story? Yeah, I mean, that was the end of the story for that day. Okay. >> And the next day I go over to him, and I'm like, "Do you want to put on tefillin again?" And he put it on. And he started crying again. And I was like, "Oh my god, like this guy in 2 days had more emotions in his tefillin than I did in my life since my bar mitzvah, including till today." I mean, that's something that I think we all need to work on. So, I right away call my dad, my rebbe, shlita, and I said to him, um "We need Should we get this guy a pair of tefillin? Or is like this?" And then I was like, "W- What should I get him like a pair of tefillin? Why don't I just give him my tefillin? Like if I get him the pair of tefillin like mitzvah ba'ah l'yadcha, t'chanina, then like what am I doing? If I may get it, I may not get it. It's like a pledge in tzedakah. They call you 100 times after you do the pledge, and some people answer, some not. So, I was like So, my father says, "Are you What's your relationship with your tefillin?" I said, "I wrapped them and unwrapped them." He's like, "This guy seems to have a relationship, so maybe give him your tefillin." So, I said, "That's a great idea." So, I went over to him uh that next day, and I said, "Do you want my tefillin?" And his eyes lit up. Long story short, I gave him my tefillin, and he's currently there. He lives in Cannes Cannes, France during the year. Can? Cannes, France. Yeah. Um and he has my tefillin. And we started a tefillin chat with a awesome guy in uh in Belgium just with the chevre, and every once in a while he posts a dvar Torah, and it's an unbelievable and this this Belgian guy who He's has his ups and downs. He's actually pushing this tefillin and pushing him every day, and I get a smile with his tefillin on. So, the chef sends you a picture every day? Every other day, but like he's sending every day tefillin. Like we needed to tell him like Pesach, don't put on tefillin. Like he really tinek sh'nishba, and it's unbelievable. Okay. So, then you get back to Texas. >> Then I come back to Texas, and I don't I don't have tefillin. And I have my rabbeinu Tam, not my Rashi, and I'm thinking there's a loaner pair in shul by us cuz a lot of chevre come with tefillin, don't come with tefillin. Couldn't find the loaner pair, and then I remembered that years ago on I actually just looked up the date cuz is very particular in verifying stories that I was in >> [clears throat] >> Israel, and someone left their tefillin behind in my car. You want to tell the story of how that happened? >> I'd love to. Do you want me to tell it exactly how it happened? >> Tell it exactly how it happened. >> No, bro. Okay. >> So, um it was February 22nd, 2019. It was just Zion Adar. And what happened was a couple of weeks before that we had just opened uh a couple few months before that we just opened Heimish for the first time. Okay. And we were a little little little sister compared to the amazing movement that Thank You Hashem is doing. Thank You Hashem was not even open at the time yet. And um Ari Blumenstein and Rebelli Melech Blumenstein and the Yossi Newcomb and Reb Yossi Zekantinsky, they were all um percolating the idea of opening a full-blown shul and everything maybe it had just opened right before, but KMH? KMH I don't know if it was open It wasn't open when we started, but they were starting to open. And they decided that either right after they opened or right before they're going to do a trip to um Israel. Okay. And they're going to go to Eretz Yisrael. It's a double Adar, it's a long winter, and they're going to take those four those chevre plus a few other guys um to Eretz Yisrael for a little hischaskus and a trip. And I decided I want to be a plus one even then. So, I was like, "I'm going on this trip." >> You've been a plus one ever since 2019? Years before that. I'm still a plus one. Okay. If you want to hire me as a plus one, >> [laughter] >> I could be a plus one. >> Okay. After this story, I think people are going to want to hire you. >> Anyway, so I decided I'm going, and at first they always everybody's first is like, "Yeah, yeah, come, come. Pay your own way. Do this." And we I said, "No problem." Then as it got closer, I wasn't sure if it was a real invite. You're never unsure, but when I want to do something, I don't get the necessarily the hints if it's a real invite or not. So, you just went with it? >> I just I just keep going with it. Okay. >> As it's getting closer, I wasn't sure I'm going I'm going I'm going. Um and what happened in the end was they decided to go, and there was another guy by the name of Chaim Birnbaum, awesome awesome Yiddishe chevra of mine in the mirror. And we were together. And Thursday we're chilling, and we're discussing the benefits of different uh of of relaxation, of drinking beer, of smoking weed, Of Levi? coca, which the drinking the beer? No, the smoking weed part. >> have I don't know what Levi is. There's pros and cons to everything. Okay. Everything in moderation. And uh at the time I was smoking to alleviate um I don't even know stress, to enjoy to enjoy the chill and to be with people. It's actually a great connector. So, you were smoking a lot? Um then not. During COVID a lot more, and then I totally stopped over the last 3 years cuz I saw the detrimental side effects. Okay. So, the last 3 years I really don't smoke at all. That's right. Um I don't know if that's a shidduch either. That's uh Shlomo's opinion. Okay. >> Maybe it's only for his viewers. No, I've never I've never smoked in my life. Only for his viewers. >> Never in my life. I'm still honestly I'm never took a drag, never. >> might help if he did smoke once in a while. >> I think I'm okay. Yeah, but it could help you. It could open parts of your of your artistic side that you never imagined you could even open. >> I'm not sure if I want to open those parts. That's That's a different discussion. >> Okay. Anyway, so go ahead. I'll come back in this week again. Anyways, so at the time I was having a great time with Chaim Birnbaum, and he was also smoking a lot. I think he still does, and he's and forgive me cuz I don't think he'll really care if I said your name. Um and a kidser, we were going Friday, and I'm always the driver. I'm They call me the number two driver cuz number one is the guy who actually focuses on the road and everything. Number two is the guy who always gets to the destination, no questions asked, no matter what. You're always going to get to the destination safe and on time. So, I'm the number two driver. Okay. Um >> And where were you driving from? We were driving from Jerusalem to uh to Tiberias uh to Safed. We're going to Safed for Shabbos with Reb Yossi Newcomb and the chevre. I think even the Reb Joey um we sang the Tiyera Melech song uh that Reb Reb Yossi put out on his uh s- CD or album later a few months later, but we were we were just It was an amazing vibe. And we're going, me and Chaim in the car, and we we took a couple of hits before. And we're chilling. He started getting nervous about my driving cuz I'm either texting or not focusing or putting on radio. >> Who's Who's getting nervous? Chaim, cuz he's a more nervous type. I'm just chilling. And I'm just making like tznius the whole time. Okay. And then we asked We basically what happened was is that a guy wanted to pick up a hitch. And Chaim got all nervous, "You don't pick up a shiksa in Eretz Yisrael." I'm like, "You don't But he thought it might be like a terrorist or something? Any terrorist, you don't know who he is. We're driving What are you doing? Adam, if somebody's going to tell me you don't pick pick up a hitchhiker, that's when you pick up the hitchhiker. It doesn't matter if he's a Arab or not. Don't tell me you can't pick up a especially then. Now, I have a little I don't know if less brains or more brains, but now I'm more weary. Okay. >> But at the time it was 2019, I was like you have to pick up the hitchhiker. >> Yeah, pre-October 7th. So, we we pick up the hitchhiker. And we're making like tonis the whole time. We're making I don't even know what tonis is. This kid looked like he was straight out of the military army, young 19-year-old kid. And Israeli, full-fledged Israeli, didn't speak a word. I think we picked him up a little before Tiberias. And he says he's getting off like after Tiberias. Or like we're right out of there. We're going to Tzfat anyways. We picked him up on the Kvish Tesha which that goes if anybody knows about Israel, the Tesha goes basically all the way from Eilat Eilat all the way to to past Tiberias. And then you make a left turn. I forgot the highway to Tzfat. So, we're picking him up somewhere along by near the Jordan the Jordan Valley is over there. And we're And we're taking him. And we're making like tonis. And he's bugging. Why was he bugging? Cuz we're like tonis. We're chilling. We're asking if he wants to take a hit. Oh, you offered him weed? Of course. We offered him anything that will press a button. We were trying to press that button. The deeper the button, the better it is for me. And Chaim's laughing and freaking at the same time. And we're doing it all. Anyway, Did he cop that you guys were stoned? I don't know what he copped. I would imagine it wasn't hard to cop. I think that you [laughter] would cop. For sure knows that. Okay. Anyway, so what happens is is that he's going to get off in a few miles or a few kilometers. I don't even know where. And smack in the middle of like a random red light, he says, "Here's my destination." Opens the door and books. He ran away. Ran away. End of story. Okay, so you got the bag. >> and Chaim are laughing. >> [laughter] >> And we just So, obviously he he was so afraid of being in the car with you guys that I don't know. Maybe it was his destination and he didn't want to tell us where his Uber was. Or maybe he was just in a real hurry to go learn Torah. I don't know. Okay. You're hypothesizing that I don't know if it's accurate or not. Okay. So, we go on our way. We're we're we're making fun. We're making like tonis. We're having a good time. And we get to Tzfat and we're chilling. We take our stuff out for Shabbos. Out of the car. Out of the car. And there's a bag. And it says tallis. And I'm like, "Oh my gosh." Whose is this? And we couldn't figure out whose it is. Right away it must have been that guy's tefillin and tallis. The guy who who took the Yeah. So, we opened up the bag and it was a pair of tefillin and tallis. And it was nothing. No name? >> No identification, no nothing. We were thinking about dropping it off in the shul in Tzfat or whatever. And I'm like, "You don't just leave tefillin." Like I grew up like tefillin is something you take with you. It's chab of you take. You don't just leave it. Right. So, I decided I'm going to take it home. And I bring it home. My wife is like, "Where are you bringing home Yanam's stuff?" Like Yeah, the wife always does that. Wives are anti-hashavas aveida. This is a common issue. I They want They want it if it's not picked up in 12 seconds. Not like 24 hours, 12 seconds it's garbage. So, I'm like, "It's tefillin." Kids issue. Put it My wife put it away in like a storage area I didn't even know existed by the way. Like literally. It was after I got back and I didn't have tefillin. Couldn't find it. And she was like, "By the way, where's the stuff that you And I find it near like some old old challah covers and like like like the dented becher. It's like well, I'm like a little corner scratch. So, I was like, "You know what? Let me take the tefillin and see the tefillin." So, I take out the tefillin. This is when you got back now from the trip to France. >> Now, cuz I had no tefillin. I gave my roshis away. Yeah. So, I take the tefillin. And Shlomi sees me wearing these funny shaped tefillin for me because they're way smaller. >> Yeah, they're the mini ones. >> They're They're not mini for a Sefardi guy. I don't think he even knew what mini was. This is the tefillin he bought for his bar mitzvah. Shlomi says, "We're going to do a hashavas aveida." And I said it's a great idea. However, then I then I may lose the tefillin I'm using by the way. >> going to have to buy some tefillin. >> But if this story works, it's worth it for the story. So, just for the entertainment it's worth it already. >> life has only value of the stories you can tell, not wealth. And that's at least me. I collect stories, not wealth, because I think stories are forever and wealth comes and goes. But the story remains. So, if the story gets better, it adds to the >> Yeah. So, show Show everyone the tefillin. So, this is the tefillin I'm currently using. And Shlomi, who I already explained speaks fluent um he a little Hebrew, a lot fluent Yiddish, and fluent English. I explained to him this guy only speaks fluent Hebrew. And he says, "His reach is as great as the shamayim and the aretz." A little bit cocky. And now he's laughing saying No, no, what I'm saying is that the power of the internet The power is so strong the power of his power of his reach. It's not me. It's not me. It's not him. >> me. It's not him. >> Twitter is powerful. And I believe that if if we do our due diligence, we can find the rightful owner of the tefillin. Okay. So, that's the goal. >> That's his goal. There's definitely no ulterior motive of his goal. What I'm going to say is that he needs to be a winner and prove himself right. So, if you can help him prove himself right, I win too because You know what? I'm I'll be totally happy if I'm if I'm proven right that Yeah, what would you be happy if you're proven wrong? Can you show me the tefillin, please? Yeah, he's getting on my nerves. No, you know how long is it How long do you think this video is? Eight minutes. We're at 15 minutes and 20 seconds already. Okay. So, this is >> Anyway, So, here's the tallis bag. That's his tallis also? >> bag. Whose tallis is that? >> Okay, it's a nice bag. >> It's his tallis. It was It was hardly used. I started using it because I just love that I wear tzitzis, but I don't have the cool tzitzis. Okay. >> I have the the tzitzis that I always told I think these are the uncool tzitzis. And he has the cool ones. I don't know which tzitzis this is, but he's got the cool ones. Okay, fine. Now, let's see the tzitzis. >> No, these are cool. Now, let's see the tzitzis. They're cool. >> They are cool, yes. I'm admitting they're cool. You need confirmation. Okay, then we have a old school tallis bag. Okay. But he got this leather It almost looked vintage. Um It says tefillin with no name on it. No name, but you can see there's like an image of Yerushalayim or something. Yeah, it's the Churva Shul. Yeah. It's the Churva Shul. There's a company name on the back. Okay. Oh. >> Jerusalem Yarmulkes. Jerusalem Yarmulkes. Yeah. >> I wonder if they you know, if they I wonder if they have records of who Who bought this bag? Yeah, probably not. >> I have no idea. It's possible. I I know that I got it in 2019 and the kid must have been How old How old was the guy? >> He must have been 18, 19. I think he was army type. >> What did he look like? Was he like chareidi, dati leumi? He looked very I don't have these sorry, but I grew up without these numbers and dimensional I don't know. He was very He looked religious. He was carrying his tefillin. He was Sefardi. He was dark. He was He was He looked like 18-year-old What kind of haircut? Short hair with a kippah seruga, but I think he was from regular from Sefardi. >> Payos? No payos. I mean, payos, but not long curly payos. >> no no not like payos. >> Right, okay, fine. Not not Teimani payos. And then he had these little cute tefillin that I don't know if this happened cuz they weren't opened in 6 years. But he had these little cute Yeah, you should probably fix that if you're using it every day. But they're double black sided which is uh That's true. >> Which is doesn't really affect it. I do need to get them checked, but my sofer is not always available these days. Um I did call the sofer twice. Okay, so there there you go. This is small tefillin. The small tefillin. Did you ever check inside the the the bottom holder? That's what I just said. I need to get them checked. Oh, you mean the name? Yeah, I checked everywhere. >> Cuz it'd be crazy if we filmed an 18-minute video and it turns out that No, no, no, no. And there's no name. And these are the shaliachs. Okay. And then we have the shorish. Okay, we I don't think we have to see the shorish. We understand. And then we have >> please spread this video around. If anybody knows somebody who lost their tefillin circa 2019 in a car of stoners driving towards Tzfat, this tefillin exist. They're in Houston, Texas. And Rabbi Winkler has them. And what's your What's your phone number in case people uh They'll contact Shlomi if they need to reach me. Okay. Fine. What do you think the odds are that we find the rightful owner? I think very low, but I want to find it. If it was high, then I would have tried to find it already. And I really want to find it because the odds are so low. It's like a shtick. I'm I'll tell you the truth. For me it would be a flex if we found the owner because it would be so awesome as a story. Yeah. This is It adds to the story. The story needs a really good ending. It's already good, but it needs >> No, it needs it needs a good ending. Do you realize this story for you is like a great story. For someone else it was a disaster. Like all he wanted was a ride. And he gets in the car with stoners and he loses his tefillin. But but you know how you know how great the story is if the if the guy finds his tefillin 10 years later. It was worth it to lose to have this whole story. We don't always see the whole Yad Hashem. And so, maybe the whole Yad Hashem was this guy's me and he's upset. Now, he finds the story the whole 7-year saga was worth it all. I hear. Because the story. Okay. Bishalom Hashem natzliach. You know who else is going to be really happy if if we find the tefillin? Your wife. The Eibershter. Your wife is going to be like, "Wow, finally they're out of the house." I said the Eibershter. I meant my wife. Oh, the Eibershter. Okay. And the Eibershter is going to be very proud of us. Amen. Okay. Bishalom Hashem natzliach. Hopefully it works. Shkoyach, Rabbi.