‘After a Few L’chaims, I Told the Shliach He Deserves a Child’

YWN

A moving story was told by Chabad bochur Shneur Lipskar about his experience at the home of Rabbi Asher and Mrs. Rachel Tumarkin, Chabad Shluchim in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, last Tishrei.

Lipskar, who lives in Jerusalem, traveled with two other Chabad bochurim to the former Soviet Union country for Tishrei of 2019 to assist the Tumarkins.

“When we entered his home for the first time, I didn’t see any kids,” Lipskar wrote. “After a few hours passed and no children returned from gan, I suddenly understood that they don’t have children.”

“The thought that they don’t have children hit me. How is it possible to run a Chabad house, to deliver shiurim, to help Jews put on tefillin and return to an empty house? A clean and neat house – too neat, no toys on the floor. No sleepless nights, no children to gently cover during birchas Kohanim. How? How is it possible?”

“We spent the time building a sukkah in the courtyard, davening with the kehilla, helping Jews shake the lulav. And then came Simchas Torah. We’re used to an enthusiastic kehilla on Simchas Torah…but in Kazakhstan it wasn’t like that. There were mainly elderly Jews there and it was quiet.

“But we didn’t want to simply fulfill our obligation by dancing. We wanted to truly rejoice. So we began to drink – another cup and another cup…we were singing and hugging the sifrei Torah.

“Afterward we had a seudah. The other two bochurim sobered up somewhat. I didn’t. Rav Asher said a devar Torah. We sang and then I requested that we sing Yeladim by Eviatar Banai. [A moving song about children by a well-known Israeli singer]. No one else knew it so I sang it by myself and everyone was quiet and listened. The song is about children, on the emotional moment that one’s child leaves to school with only his father’s tefillah to accompany him. The song suddenly reminded me of the ‘thing’ that no one mentions. But I was drunk enough not to think about what’s appropriate to say or not say.

“I shouted with great pain: ‘R’ Asher, you’re a good Jew! You have a heart of gold! You could have been some Chabadnik in Kfar Chabad but you chose to be a shliach of the Rebbe! You gave your whole life for the Rebbe! You deserve children!’

“There was silence. R’ Asher turned white but I continued to talk. ‘We here are paskening that you deserve a ben zachar (a baby boy) this year. I swear to you that you’ll have a ben zachar this year!’

“I then hugged him enthusiastically. R’ Asher whispered Amen with intense kavanah. And I was carried to my room by my friends (where I promptly threw up).”

Lipskar continued his story: “An hour ago I got a phone call from the bochurim that were with me. After almost ten years with no children, a baby boy was recently born to R’ Asher! It’s been exactly nine months since my shlichus [in Kazahkstan].”