The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

This story was never meant to be serial.

However, today I must make an exception and present part two of what may be an ongoing saga.



For those who need refreshing, a few weeks ago (Short Vort on 6/13/25 to be exact), I related the story of R' Yankel, The Yid from the American Dream.

In short, I regaled myself (and hopefully my readers) with the tale of how I masqueraded as the Rav's gabbai, allowing me to assist another Yid in Davening Mincha.

And even though the velt says, "No good deed goes unpunished," we of course believe that all good deeds never go unrewarded, as Hashem never withholds His rewards.

So, therefore, I should not have been surprised when the phone rang and the caller said, "Du redt Yankel" (this is Yankel speaking).

Although he caught me off guard, as I initially thought the caller was soliciting a donation, I quickly recovered and said, "Vos macht du?" (How are you?).

Realizing my preference for English ("Vos macht du?" – was about the extent of my conversational Yiddish ability), Yankel continued, "My wife (again, it's always the wife!) told me about the column you wrote about me and the parking spot.

She read the ganze shtickel (the entire article) to me and I could not stop laughing."

That was a relief.

 In my profession, I often hear from both those who want to be mentioned in my Short Vort and feel overlooked when they are not, as well as those who are mentioned and feel their privacy has been violated when they were mentioned in articles.

Sometimes I feel as if "I can never win". Or, as P.T. Barnum allegedly said, "you can never make everyone happy."

However, Yankel seemed genuinely happy. And therefore, we were off to a good start as R' Yankel seemed pleased.

After a few more minutes of more English from my side and more Yiddish from his, I thought the conversation was winding down, and it was time to get on with my day.

However, Yankel was in no rush to get off, and when he said, "You know I really want to come back and say thank you in person," I figured he was just being polite.

After all, why would anyone want to make another trek from Lee Avenue in Williamsburgh to Passaic, NJ, to say thank you as he already did so (numerous times) on the phone?

However, R' Yankel was not to be deterred.

After listening to a lengthy schmooze about the importance of Hakoras HaTov (gratitude), I relented, and we agreed that Yankel would come to Passaic for yet another visit.

The agreed-upon day arrived, and although we had made up, Yankel was supposed to come at 1 PM; by 1:25, there was still no sign of Yankel.

However, sure enough, at about 1:30, Yankel arrived at my office with a large bag, while making numerous requests of me to be mochel (forgive) his tardiness (although he did also add that in his "world," arriving at 1:30 is not really late).

R' Yankel proceeded to remove an assortment of the most delicious rugelach ever seen this side of the Hudson, together with still-steaming potato Kugel and the largest container of schmaltz herring that any person in Passaic has ever laid eyes on!

I was wondering if his family was in the car, as there was enough food to feed the entire Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic!

However, R' Yankel insisted that I taste everything and made sure he answered UMEIN to all my Brochus.

He then pulled out a Sefer from his bag as he announced, "We have to learn some Torah!"

He placed the Divrei Yoel Al HaTorah on the desk, and soon we were immersed in the sweet words of the Torah, which were more delectable than all of the delicious foods surrounding us.

R' Yankel then stood to leave.

As he left, he thanked me again, and I thanked him as well.

He then noticed a picture of an Israeli soldier in uniform on my desk.

"Who is that?" He said, not trying to hide his surprised look.

"That's my son, he's in the Israeli army," I said.

"I never met a Rav who has a son in the Israeli Army.

"Are you proud of what he is doing?"

"Of course I am.

I am as proud of him as I am of all of my children."

He looked at me and paused, and then said, "You are right to be proud of all of your children. We should always be proud of our children."

He then paused, as if considering his words carefully, and said with conviction, "I want to daven for him, please tell me his name."

I gave him Tuvia's name, and then, without any prompting, we spontaneously hugged each other in a long and loving embrace.

As I walked him back to his blue minivan, I said, "I am so happy you came, and thank you for the wonderful Sefer, it opened my eyes to Divrei Torah I never knew before."

R' Yankel stopped at the open car door and turned to face me, "I am also happy I came, as you opened my heart to love and daven for a special and brave Yid who without you I never would have known: your son Tuvia."