Nice Story

This past week R' Avraham Respler, a great mechanech passed away. It was told over in the house of shiva that when Rabbi Respler was a young boy, he was called into the office to tell him that he was not able to return to yeshiva because he didn't have money for tuition. He stayed home for two days. He was embarrassed. The rebbe found out about it and the rebbe called him and asked him to come back to school. The rebbe told the principal, if he doesn't come back, then I don't come back either. What a great display of sacrifice from a rebbe to a talmid.

The story doesn't end there. Fifty years later, Rabbi Respler was already a seasoned mechanech, a principal in his own right. There was a young Russian boy in his school and he too was not paying tuition. They told him, whether it was the board or someone else in the school, that he can't come to school if he doesn't pay. Rabbi Respler reaching deep down inside his reservoir of hope and strength, says to them, well if he doesn't come back, then neither do I. Today, that boy is a rebbe in Toras Emes!

I heard this story second hand from someone who heard it at the house of shiva, and I hope the family will be inspired that we are telling over the story. I hope I said it accurately as possible, but the message resonates loud and clear. Children are not disposable. No child should be given anything less than a stellar chance for a stellar education.

Hopefully IY"H, if we treat our children, and I don't mean our biological children but our collective children, with the love that we can shower them with, then Hashem will repay us in kind and will take care of His children, us with the same love. Have a great day and a great rest of your week. The Respler family, hamakom yinachem eschem, what an inspiration your father was to Klal Yisroel.