With a Little Help from Big Tzaddikim

The Beams Baby Boom continues this week, with a hot story right off the presses.

I owe a lot to Nachum Kligman from Bet Shemesh. When no one knew me, he was the first to video-tape my lectures and put them on the web.

Yesterday afternoon, Nachum called me; his voice was trembling: "Rav, Michal (Nachum's wife) is in Shaarei Tzedek hospital. She's two weeks overdue. The doctors are having a major disagreement - Michal's doctor says induce and go for a natural birth, and the Department Head says no way - prepare her for a C-section!" The Department Head favored the C-section on the grounds that the baby wasn't anywhere near birth position, "so there's nothing to discuss about naturl birth", he maintained, especially since Michal had already had a c-section in one of her previous childbirths.

Michal's nerves were more than frayed; she had taken on and off the inducing list abour four times, as if she were a pingpong ball. Needless to say, she was beside herself. She was losing her composure fast; she just wanted things over with, the quicker the better. Nachum didn't know if she could hold on...

I looked at my watch - it was time for hitbodedut, my daily personal prayer session. I asked Nachum if he could convince the doctors to delay any decision for two hours - nothing more. Everyone agreed, but they gave me 2 hours; if nothing happens, Michal goes into surgery...

Monday - yesterday - was 20 Teveth, 5771. I was on my way to the field to pour my heart out for Michal...

I started to pray in personal prayer and felt cold as a fish. I was having an unsuccessful day and had accomplished 10% of what I usually do. All day long, my prayers were about on the level of a turkey-gobble and my Torah learning was out to lunch. I felt as if I was holding on the spiritual level of an ameba.

Then, a flash went through my mind - "So what if you're an ameba? Today is not only the Rambam's yahrtzeit (image, left), it's the Abir Yaacov's (Rebbe Yaacov Abu Chatzera, the Baba Sali's grandfather, image below, left) yahrtzeit! I was right by a clump of palm trees east of town, and tears started pouring down my face. To paraphrase the old Beatles' song, I was trying a little help from my friends the great tzaddikim. I pleaded for Michal by virtue of the Rambam's yahrtzeit, by virtue of the Abir Yaacov's yahrtzeit, and by virtue of the holy Baba Sali, all of saintly and blessed memory.

I could feel my heart opening up, but it wasn't enough. Then boom! Another flash! Nachum came to Uman this past Rosh Hashana. He didn't want to go, but a pregnant Michal pushed him out the door and took care of five other children on her own so that her husband could spend Rosh Hashana by the holy gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman. Then I yelled, "Rabbenu Nachman! You have to personally plead this one at the Heavenly Throne! Michal bat Sarah needs you now..."

Having mentioned the four tzaddikim - the Rambam, Abir Yaakov, Baba Sali, and Rebbe Nachman - my soul could now express itself to Hashem. Before I knew it, 2 hours had passed.

Just as the two hour deadline hit, my cellphone rang, with Nachum Kligman on the line; this time his voice was trembling with excitement: "...th-they don't know how...the baby has turned around and is descending...it's going to be a natural birth... we're seeing a miracle...I'll keep you posted."

Fifty minutes later, it was Nachum again: "Mazal tov, it's a 7lb, 7oz baby boy! Both mother and baby are doing fine!"

Thank you, Hashem - you're the greatest.

Right away, I lit candles for the four tzaddikim - the Rambam, Abir Yaakov, Baba Sali, and Rebbe Nachman.

You see, by virtue of the tzaddikim, Hashem will answer your prayers, even if you're an ameba.

Mazal Tov to our cherished friends the Kligmans, from all of us here at the Beams. May you merit to have your new son enter the holy covenant of Abraham on time, amen!