The Gunshot That Did Not Move The Rav From His Place

The next story happened on Purim in the year 5776. In that year the Rav was staying in the far away city of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Many students and family members of the Rav arrived especially to Johannesburg in order to stay near the Rav on the holy day. On Purim, the people of Israel accepted the Torah with love. The Purim meal happened in the home of the Rav’s host. Guests and family members of the Rav were sitting around the table. The Rav stood at the head of the table with his face burning like a torch. His lofty soul was flying in the upper worlds.

The people that were in the room lifted their cups for l'chaim and the Rav began to talk about the exaltedness of the holy day. “Yom Hakippurim is like Purim. ‘K’-Purim’,” said the Rav in the name of the Arizal, ztzl. “Because Yom Hakippurim is an aspect of working for Hashem from fear while staying all day in the synagogue praying. Whereas the day of Purim is an aspect of serving Hashem from love and joy, going around eating, singing, and dancing in front of Hashem in the house and outside.”

The people that were around the table were fascinated by the holy words of the Rav. However at the same time on the street next to where the Rav was staying, there was a completely different conversation going on.

A group of local gangs and criminals met to solve an argument and to try to figure out a way to reconcile matters of crime and violence. The gangs were meeting next to the Rav’s host’s courtyard. They did not succeed at finding a compromise. Not much time passed when a gunshot was heard from the side of the street. The criminals began to fight and hurt each other. They pulled out their guns and were shooting. The guns were not just turned against their opponents. They were also shooting randomly around the street without any care. A bullet hit the courtyard where the Rav was staying.

The people present in the room began to panic. They jumped up and ran into the inner rooms of the house and put their hands over their heads. The Rav remained standing without moving, like nothing was happening around him. The gunshot blared and the glass window shook. The Rav’s voice continued to speak powerfully like flaming fire and he continued to talk about the lofty holiness of Purim. The Rav did not care what was happening around him. Because, indeed, avodat Hashem is for every single place, in every single hour, through fire, and through water.

The Rav’s way is to be dedicated to the holiness of the Torah without feeling anything of what is happening around him. The Rav earns that with a lot of hard work and sweat. Also, whether the Rav is by himself in a room without any people around, or whether the Rav is in front of a multitude, such as at a Siyum HaShas or at a teshuva rally, the Rav could be sitting on the stage of honor or he could be deeply immersed in his sefarim, the Rav does not know and does not pay attention to who is sitting on his right or to the admorim sitting at his side. With self sacrifice the Rav’s way is to be attached to the holy Torah in every situation.

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Eliezer Eved Hashem — Chapter 20 of 26

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