Honouring the Torah: The Philanthropist’s Final Kindness

by Rami ben Ze'ev

Honouring the Torah: The Philanthropist’s Final Kindness

The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (Chapter 4) teaches: “Rabbi Yose says: Whoever honours the Torah is himself honoured by people.” When a person recognises the intrinsic holiness of Torah and shows honour to the Torah and its תלמידי חכמים (talmidei chachamim — Torah scholars), Heaven ensures that honour is ultimately returned to him.

A moving incident illustrating this principle was published by Halacha Yomit.

Approximately one year before the story was shared, a man living in the New York area and his wife decided that they would spend Rosh Hashanah away from home in another city. His wife mentioned that she normally visited her parents’ graves every Erev Rosh Hashanah at a cemetery in nearby New Jersey, but since they would not be home, she hoped to visit sometime earlier during the month of Elul.

One day during Elul, while travelling through New Jersey, she suddenly remembered her wish to visit her parents’ graves. They therefore made a detour to the cemetery and stopped there for a short time of prayer and reflection.

As they were preparing to leave, the man noticed a small group gathered nearby. They called him over and explained that they were about to bury a deceased Jew who had no family and needed another man to complete a Minyan for Kaddish. Understanding the importance of such a mitzvah, especially during the Days of Mercy and Judgment, he immediately agreed while his wife waited nearby.

The members of the Chevra Kadisha recited Kaddish and lowered the deceased into the grave. However, to the man’s astonishment, the burial society then turned and began walking away without covering the grave with earth.

Shocked, he asked, “What are you doing? Why are you leaving the deceased uncovered?”

They replied that a tractor would soon arrive and complete the burial mechanically using its shovel.

The man was deeply disturbed. It seemed entirely inappropriate that a Jew should be buried in such a cold and impersonal manner. He therefore decided to remain and ensure the burial was completed properly.

Several minutes later, a small tractor driven by a non-Jew arrived. The man approached the driver and asked, “Would you mind lending me your shovel so I can cover the grave myself?”

The driver replied, “Of course. Take it and do whatever you wish.”

For the next half-hour, the man laboured alone, carefully covering the grave with earth by hand. When he finished, he placed the marker bearing the deceased’s name into the ground, as is customary, and quietly left.

When he rejoined his wife, both were overwhelmed by the strange sequence of events. They had never intended to visit the cemetery that day, yet somehow they had been led there to perform a final act of kindness for a complete stranger.

Several days later, the man telephoned one of his former rabbis from Yeshiva Ner Yisrael in Baltimore to wish him a Shana Tova. During their conversation, he mentioned the unusual incident and repeated the name of the deceased.

The rabbi immediately cried out in astonishment.

“When you were a young student in Yeshiva,” the rabbi explained, “your parents were unable or unwilling to pay your tuition. I approached a certain man and asked if he would help support your Torah learning. He agreed without hesitation and covered the cost of your years in Yeshiva. He never married and had no children. The name you just mentioned was that benefactor.”

The rabbi paused before continuing:

“It appears that Heaven did not wish for such a man to be buried in a degrading manner. You were granted the merit of repaying a portion of the kindness he once showed you by ensuring he received an honourable Jewish burial.”

One final clarification was later added to the account: although the story was originally published describing the individual as a rabbi, it was later confirmed that he was not a rabbi but an ordinary working man. Nevertheless, every other detail of the story was verified as entirely accurate.

This story reminds us that no act of kindness performed for Torah is ever forgotten. A person may believe that his generosity, sacrifice, or quiet support has disappeared into history unnoticed. Yet Heaven keeps perfect account. Sometimes, years later, the opportunity is granted for honour to return full circle in ways no human being could ever arrange.

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Bill White (Rami ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue