A month ago a fellow shows up by Rav Chaim Kanievsky asking for advice and for a bracha. He had fallen to debt to the tune of 150,000 NIS, and the debt was weighing heavily on him and he did not see a way out of it. As Rav Kanievsky asked for details of his situation, he asked where he lives and what he does. After hearing the answer, Rav Kanievsky told him to move to a new home. Where he was living, Rav Kanievsky said, was not a good place, and he would not have success in educating his children there.
The fellow responded that he had been offered to purchase a plot of land in Givatayim upon which he would be able to build his house, but he couldn't take advantage of the deal because of his debt. It was handcuffing him, and he would not even be able to take a loan, considering the amount of debt he already has, and it is just not possible.
Rav Kanievsky told him to leave his current location, but the plot of land and move there. hashem will help find the money to cover the debts.
That was a month ago.
According to the report, this week the fellow returned to Rav Kanievsky's house with a dirty and heavy bag. He went in to see Rav Chaim Kanievsky, and put his bag down on the table. he identified himself to the rav, reminding him of the story. He told Rav Kanievsky that he has returned to show the rav that the bracha came true. He said that a few days ago they began digging on the piece of land he had purchased. As they were digging, they discovered this old bag buried there.
When they opened the bag they discovered it to contain 150 gold coins, each worth 1000 NIS.
150,000 NIS to cover the debt he had been holding!
Rav Kanievsky sent him on his way with another of his standard blessings of "bracha v'hatzlacha".
While reading this fascinating story, I felt something nagging at me. I knew I had seen this story before, or maybe something similar. I did a search and sure enough, the story is almost exactly the same, in style if not in detail, of another incident with Rav Chaim Kanievsky that happened about 4 months ago. In that story, a fellow's institution was infested with mice. Debt was seemingly going to force him to shut his institution, but Rav Kanievsky told him to renovate and gave him a bracha. They discovered the location of the mice, and also discovered a bag of enough gold coins that would exactly cover the debt.
So, does Rav Chaim Kanievsky have a specific specialty in brachot that help people find money to pay off their debts?
Or maybe people are recycling the same story with different names and numbers?
Or maybe it happened as reported?
This is the stuff from which fairy tales are forged.
ReplyDeleteAs Darth Zeidah said. Both of these stories exactly fit the patterns of two earlier stories from previous generations. Repeated through history about different tzadikim. Always about someone in a Grimm circumstance who goes to the tzadik...and the rest you already know.
ReplyDeleteI guess "Grimm" circumstances would lead to a fairy tale...
ReplyDeletebecause when you are up to your eyeballs in debt, borrowing more money you can't afford is such a good idea! (/sarcasm)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, does anyone really buy the idea that are multiple bags of gold coins buried throughout Israel?
ReplyDeleteSounds fishy.
ReplyDeleteThey are using his good name.
Gold coins. Yeah right.
ReplyDeleteI also went to the Rav once, I was in debt $138,238.42 and then I wanted to
ReplyDeletebuy some land there but, the Rav told me to go home, not to worry too much. and not even learn Torah or even daven, just be a goof ball and complain to whomever I see on the street. And then a pipe burst in my basement. And then a contractor comes in and start digging. And then as he was digging he hits something hard, and then we see a dirty bag with golden coins. But then the contractor knocked me on the head and I fell down unconscious. Then I found out from a friend that this very same contractor bought himself a house worth $138,238.42 just like the amount of debt I had.
And I am still so worried and in debt, and the Rav told me not to worry. Wait another pipe just burst open in my basement, and then as I was digging I saw a second bag with gold coins worth $1,382 each. and as I was coming out of the basement I dropped the bag in the drain and the coins went down the drain. And then I am suuuuuch a big liar. but at least I didn't big Posek haDor's name to make my story look real. I guess I am a cheap liar not worth a single golden coin.