On a visit to the tzaddik Rav Chaim Pinter (father of Reb Shmelke Pinter of London), the Stropkover Rav inquired of Rav Chaim about the whereabouts of the then young Shmelke. The father replied that the boy had not been feeling well and was resting in his room on the top floor.
Rav Avraham Sholom insisted on climbing up the steep staircase to pay a bikur cholim visit to the lad, with whom he struck up a meaningful dialogue.
“You do know that nothing occurs without reason. Can you think of something you might have done to bring on your malaise?” asked the Rebbe of young Shmelke’le.
The boy answered that he had eaten candy the other day without having made a bracha. The Rebbe remarked that this wasn’t so grave an aveira to be causing him such physical discomfort.
Following some moments of silent introspection, the boy offered that while praying in the morning he had distracted himself by looking out the window and watching the birds. Once again the Rebbe insisted that this too was not severe enough of an aveira…
The boy finally remembered that he had recently played with some friends when an argument ensued among them and he had beaten up one of the boys, who had cried bitterly as a result.
“Now this aveira is a more serious one,” said the Rav. “The Talmud says that he who lifts a hand against another Jew is called a rasha, however, such an individual can do teshuvah and Hashem will heal him.”
Shmelke’le followed the Rav’s counsel and took upon himself to never bring distress upon another. In time he grew to be a prominent tzaddik who lent assistance to countless people.
At Kabbolas Torah, Moshe Rabeinu was commanded to first speak to the “House of Yaakov” (Bais Yaakov) – a reference to the woman of the house – and only afterward to the “Children of Israel,” the men.
Each morning we recite, “Shema b’ni Mussar avicha v’al titosh toras imecha – Listen my son to the rebuke of your father and do not abandon the Torah of your mother.” This saying from Mishlei teaches us that while fathers are duty-bound to learn Torah literally, it’s the mothers who instinctively imbue their homes with the true essence of Torah and permeate the atmosphere with spirituality and holiness.
May we learn from the best and the brightest and merit raising G-d fearing children who will walk in the footsteps of the Torah giants who came before us.