18 Feb MY PILLOW

It was the mid-1940s. The horrific days of the
Holocaust were coming to a close, yet the
cruel acts of Nazi Germany left its mark. It
was time to pick up the remnants of our nation.
It was a time to rebuild and start anew.
There was a group of young orphaned boys.
Boys who were left without mothers or
fathers. Boys who were totally alone in the
world.
Plans were made for them to go to Eretz
Yisroel, but who would care for them? Who
would be there to give them a helping hand, a
kind word, and offer encouragement during
their time of healing?
Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, zt”l, the
Rav of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, accepted the
responsibility. The Rav arranged for a vacant
municipal building in Bnei Brak to be
transformed into a dorm for the boys. He
raised funds to purchase beds, tables and
chairs, sparing no effort to make the boys as
comfortable as possible.
Rav Kahaneman had everything ready –
almost. The moneys he collected were

exhausted, and there weren’t any funds left to
purchase pillows, blankets and linens.
It was a Friday afternoon, Erev Shabbos. The
boys were scheduled to arrive on Sunday.
What was the Rav to do? Even if he was able
to obtain the extra funds, proper bedding was
“a luxury” in Israel in those days, exceedingly
hard to come by.
The Rav came up with a plan.
Rav Kahaneman spread the word in his
community that he had an important message
to deliver, and would be speaking in his shul
on Shabbos afternoon. Of course, when the
Rav would speak, not only would the local
community attend, but people from throughout
Bnei Brak would come out en masse to hear
his words.
On Shabbos afternoon the shul was full. Rav
Kahaneman began speaking about the laws of
an “eved Ivri”, a Jewish servant. Laws that are
found in Parshas Mishpatim.
At first, the people couldn’t understand – it
wasn’t even Parshas Mishpatim that week.
Why was the Rav speaking that particular
Shabbos about the subject of eved Ivri?
Rav Kahaneman related the teachings of the

Talmud regarding how one must
treat his servant. The servant’s
physical comfort is of such
importance, that if a master has
only one pillow, he must forgo his
own comfort and provide it to the
servant.
Rav Kahaneman continued,
telling his listeners that it is
difficult to understand why a
servant would receive priority
over the master? After all, doesn’t
the master deserve a good night’s
sleep?
The Rav rhetorically asked, how can one sleep
knowing that a fellow Jew is not resting
peacefully.
Rav Kahaneman spoke from the depth of his
heart. He shared how he tried his utmost to

make everything comfortable for the soon-to-
be-arriving group of young war orphans. Yet,

despite his efforts, he was unable to obtain
proper bedding. With much emotion, he cried
out to the audience. “How can any of us sleep
comfortably tonight, knowing that the arriving
children have no pillows or blankets?”
Devarim hayotzim min halev, nichnasim el
halev, Words that emanate from one heart,
enter another.
The Rav’s words were heartfelt and poignant.
They touched all who were in attendance.
That night, soon after Shabbos ended, there
was a rush of people in Bnei Brak bringing
pillows, blankets and linens to Rav
Kahaneman.
When the boys arrived on Sunday, their
rooms were ready and comfortable.
This week’s parsha, Mishpatim, shares with
us many laws bein adam lechaveiro, between
man and his fellow. Ethical, moral and civil
laws. Mitzvos teaching us kindness and
compassion. Amongst them are how careful
one must be not to cause pain to widows and
orphans. To be sensitive to a convert’s
feelings. Not to speak falsehoods and be a
rumor monger. Not to fall into the trap of
bribery. All of these are mitzvos that speak to
our neshama. Yet, the parsha opens with the
laws of an eved Ivri, a Jewish servant. Why?
One way an individual becomes an eved Irvi
is if he stole and was unable to repay his
victim. He is turned over to a beth din, a
Jewish court of law, which then sells him to
become a servant, with the proceeds paid by
the purchaser used to compensate those
whom he victimized. Even though he is a
thief, the Torah has laws to protect his honor
and dignity. For instance, he should not be
ordered to perform menial tasks, he is to be
offered the same quality food and drink as
his master, and must be given sleeping

accommodations comparable to what his
master and family enjoy. And yes, even if
there is only that one pillow, it goes to the
servant.
In our modern-day world, a convicted criminal
ends up doing jail time. However, in Talmudic
times, a thief would join a welcoming family.
A family that can give him a second chance.
Instead of jail time, he is given rehab time. An
opportunity to observe and experience a
meaningful and productive way of living,
thereby giving him a new lease on life.
The question remains as to why the parsha
opens with the discussion of an eved Ivri. The
Torah is giving us a valuable lesson. Each one
of us is created betzelem Elokim, in the image
of G-d, implanted with a Divine spark.
Sometimes, we may stumble, we may even
fall and make serious mistakes. But despite it
all, that pintele yid, the inner Divine spark
never disappears. It may become diminished
at times, but it is never extinguished, and with
sincere effort it can once again become a
roaring flame.
Each and every individual is worthy of honor
and respect, if only to recognize and honor the
chelek Elokah, that part of HaShem within.
Just consider, if even a thief is afforded dignity
and humane treatment, how much more so are
we obligated to treat family, neighbors, friends
and business associates with respect, courtesy
and consideration.
Rav Kahaneman’s words continue to
reverberate to this day. How can one sleep
when he knows his brothers are in pain. How
can one rest, when there are still remaining
hostages, being held in deplorable conditions.
When so many families have been torn apart.
So many have been uprooted from their
homes. And, from what we’ve seen from
photos of those recently released, it’s
unimaginable how much pain and torture
those still held are enduring.
As we are about to enter the month of Adar, let
us daven that all those suffering, all those
hurting, will experience a v’nehapachu, a
turnover to joy, happiness and tranquility in
their lives.