The Boy Who Had No Seat in Shul

At the Kinus Hashluchim in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Yoav Akrish shared the following story.

The date was Yom Kippur, 5751. I was a 10-year-old boy growing up in Eretz Hakodesh. My parents were divorced, so that many times I went to Shul on my own, a young boy alone in a sea of worshippers. It was Yom Kippur eve when I came to Shul and saw that the huge Shul was packed, and I had nowhere to sit. I resolved to wake up extra early the next morning to make sure I snagged a seat before it would be full.

The next morning, as I got to Shul, I was overjoyed to see that my plan had worked! There was but a Minyan in Shul who were saying Tehillim before Davening, and there were many empty seats from which I could choose. But my joy turned to frustration and then despair, when I realized that every seat had a label with a name. It dawned on me that people had reserved the seats, and I knew for certain that there was no seat with my name on it. With the resolve of a stubborn child, I kept on searching until I came across a row in the back with plastic seats and a table that had seen better days. There were no names on any of the chairs. My joy knew no bounds! I too would have a seat for Yom Kippur.

I began my praying in earnest, concentrating on each word. “Father in heaven, hear our prayers!” A short while had passed when I felt a strong tap on my shoulder. “Yeled, Zeh Hamakom Sheli! Little boy, this spot is mine!” An older gentleman was forcefully claiming his spot! Nothing I said helped, he had somehow reserved this spot and would not take no for an answer. Once again, I was unmoored with no spot to call my own. I wandered in and out of Shul that Yom Kippur with a broken heart and a feeling of worthlessness. Did anyone care? Did I mean anything to anyone?? My pain and sorrow reached the depths of my soul..

Fast forward a few weeks. My mother excitedly came into the house waving an envelope. She had received a letter from the Rebbe in answer to a request she had sent. Various problems and struggles were challenging our family, and she poured her heart out in a letter to the Rebbe. And now, an answer! In the answer, the Rebbe’s directive was clear. “Check the Mezuzos.”

We did, and unsurprisingly, found many Mezuzos with problems. I don’t recall all of them, but one that I do remember was that on the Mezuza on the front of the house, in the place that should have read Shin- Daled-Yud, the Yud was missing. You can understand what that meant. The Mezuzos were quickly repaired and replaced and with miraculous speed, things began to fall into place for our family. Struggles and problems were resolved in ways we could not have imagined.

My mother was so overcome with gratitude, that with her family’s help, she made a ticket to NY to personally thank the Rebbe. She arrived on Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5751. On the Dollar line, she turned to the Rebbe with a simple plea, “ Bless my children.” The Rebbe’s answer was warm as a father, “ בשביל כל המשפחה בשורות טובות” for the whole family, may you have good tidings.”

And then… as she was about to walk further, the Rebbe handed her another dollar, וזה בשביל הבן -This is for your son!” My Mother was stunned and speechless

When my mother returned home, she  turned to me and said, “Yoav, the Rebbe has a special place for you inside His heart.” The message to me was clear; Perhaps in the Shul on my block near my very home .. there was no place for a young boy who had come alone without a father at his side, but in the gigantic heart of the Nassi hador, our Rebbe, there was a special place just for me.
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Friends , it’s Erev Yom Kippur. The Rebbe surely has a special place for one of us in His holy heart and mind.

The question is to us; are we looking out to make sure that everyone has a place? Are we making sure that those among us who might feel alone know their absolute place in our community? Is there a boy who does not have a father to stand next to in Shul who could use a warm and friendly hand on his shoulder? Is there an older single woman or man who could use an invitation and the respect that an early enough invitation gives? We are the Rebbe’s hands and feet to share this unconditional love and acceptance to every Jewish brother and sister. Let us make the call this Erev Yom kippur so that we are all accounted for. Everyone deserves their seat at the table!

May we join as one family, each and every one of us, in the Bais Hamikdosh Hashlishi with our Beloved Rebbe at our lead!