The Gaon's Last Words | Rabbi Uren Reich

Let's go back in time to Vilna in Lithuania, the beginning of tough cough nun ches, 1797. It's the fifth day of sukkas and the Vilna Gaon say tzadik livracha, one of the most famous greatest luminaries of our world in the last 500 years was on his deathbed. And those surrounding him knew that these are the precious last minutes of the Vilna Gaon on this world. And to the surprise of everybody, the Vilna Gaon took his tzitzis in his hand and lovingly caressed them and started crying. He said these tzitzis are so precious. In this world one can buy them with a zeksa. A zeksa was a small coin. With a small coin, with a minimal of expenditure, with hardly any effort, one can do a mitzvah like tzitzis. In the world to come, the Vilna Gaon said, "Nothing in the world can help a person to be able to once again have the chance to be mikayem the mitzvah of tzitzis." Reputedly, these were the last words that the Vilna Gaon said in this world. Clearly, he was trying to impress upon those that were still living the opportunities that life gives us that we'll never have again. Within life itself, there are times that we have a precious opportunity that doesn't come so often. Every nisayon is unique. Every nisayon has its own special draw and resisting it can be a one-time opportunity. And the words of the Vilna Gaon have to resonate with us. In Olam Haba, we will not have the opportunity to be einayim ein of mitzvar erva, to refrain from looking at improper things. It's something that we should cherish and take every opportunity that Hashem Yisborach sends our way to be omed benisayon. Hashem Yisborach should help us all to remember the words of the Gra, to remember their message, to cherish our moments of nisayon in Olam Hazeh, and to be omed benisayon.