r o d a H i e l o d : e c G i l e b u Th P e h t t c u r o t t s n n I e v y i l t g i e b d l Explic u o h s y e n o m h a k a d e z T
k a r B r i i e ’ n a B r H t Haa’it
paup KuK
rraiks ias a ” ’i a H B i t e a n “KuHpa’ir B edhaukadhe…re” s… “Kupat ah tze deadkudarm tzem
“K“Kuuppa tphlaacteitattHHa’iar’iBrniesi a sha Brapkla iscae cru actaicvteivsetcirsusp uplouu ininttzzeeda losusaannd dakkaha.”h .”
Kupat Ha’ir Receives Instruc Maran Hagaon Harav Elyash fulfilli on the details of fulfill mitzvah of Matanos l’ev Matanos l’evyonim, one of the mitzvos of Purim day, is one of the hardest mitzvos to fulfill. You have to find a needy person that is an evyon amiti, a true pauper. You have to give him cash on Purim day. You have to give a respectable sum so that the pauper will be truly happy, and you have to make sure the recipient will be pleased and not ashamed. That’s a tall order to fill. In recent years, it has become the custom for Yidden all over the world to transfer their matanos le’evyonim money to Kupat Ha’ir, where thy could be safe in the knowledge that the money would indeed be given in cash, on Purim day to true paupers, verified and confirmed by the Rabbanim, shlit”a. There was no question that the money would be given discreetly so that the recipients would be truly glad. Kupat Ha’ir has adopted all the chumros and hiddurim determined by Maranan verabanan gedolei hador, shlit”a. Five years ago, Kupat Ha’ir distributed a special booklet with all various questions applicable to the laws of matanos le’evyonim along with the
answers provided by the Gedolei Hador, shlit”a: Maran Hagaon Harav Elyashiv, shlit”a; Maran Hagaon Harav Wosner, shlit”a; Maran Hagaon Harav Karelitz, shlit”a; and Maran Hagaon Harav Kanievsky, shlit”a. The booklet shed light on the manner in which Kupat Ha’ir went to great lengths to fulfill the mitzvah in accordance with all the various stringencies in order to be worthy of serving as the messengers of the tens of thousands of Yidden who rely on them. Over the past few years, additional questions have cropped up that do not appear in the aforementioned booklet. These questions were presented to Harav Elyashiv, shlit”a, shortly before Purim 5768. Harav Elyashiv listened attentively to Kupat Ha’ir’s questions of practical halachah regarding the fulfillment of the mitzvah of matanos le’evyonim. We had the merit of receiving his responses and instructions on this important matter. This year, too, be’ezras Hashem, Kupat Ha’ir will once again distribute matanos le’evyonim to thosands of needy families in accordance with all the hiddurim and stringencies stipulated by Maranan Verabanan, shlit”a.
rav Elyashiv, Ha sh l an
it
”a
Ma r
ructions from ashiv, shlit”a, illing the ’evyonim
A partial list of the rulings of Maran Harav Elyashiv shlit״a
Hiddurim in the Mitzvah of Matanos Le’evyonim Implemented By Kupat Hair The money will be distributed on Purim day, not before. The money will be physically distributed, rather than just credited to an account, so that it can be spent on the same day. The money will be given in cash, not by check, so that it can be spent on the same day. A condition is made that each contribution be divided in such a way that every evyon receives a significant contribution, not just a shaveh peruta. All the evyonim have been selected by the rabbanim, shlit”a. One hundred percent of the contributions are transferred to evyonim. Cash will be distributed on Purim day even on behalf of those who contribute by check or credit card. The money is distributed with extreme discretion and confidentiality, which is the highest form of tzedaka.
Kupat Ha’ir takes a loan on behalf of those who contribute with postdated checks or credit cards, so that the money can be distributed to the needy on Purim day.
The Gedolei H Explicitly Instruct t
Tzedakah money sho uld
Kupat Ha
Every Question Has More Than one Aspect To whom should I contribute? This question, expressing the deliberations that increase proportionately to the size of the contribution to be given, repeats itself over and over again in countless variations. Should I give my tzedakah money to an esteemed, reliable tzedakah organization or to a relative who requires assistance? Should I contribute to a small, local tzedakah organization or to a national, well-known one? The pros and cons of each option are carefully weighed and eventually, the decision is made. Most of the time, people do not go to the trouble of sharing either their deliberations on this matter or their conclusions. But sometimes, people don’t keep their deliberations to themselves. Sometimes people present the question to the gedolei hador. If there’s a question, that means there are a few possibilities. Baruch Hashem, we’re living in a generation that has a number of worthy, well known organizations. Many Yidden do Hashem’s will and strive to conduct everything honestly. When
there are a few possibilities, one tries to find the best one. The correct place to determine the best answer for anything is, of course, at the Gedolei Hador. This question, like all questions concerning the giving of tzedakah, was discussed with the great seriousness and responsibility befitting a halachic ruling. The responses, too, are halachic rulings that must be studied in depth and learned from. A number of such sheilos have recently made their way to the Kupat Ha’ir offices:
A Personal Question and A Public Answer The first question was sent by a family who wanted to contribute a large sum of money and were deliberating which was the worthiest tzedakah to contribute to. They wanted their mitzvah of tzedakah to be mehudar. A friend was ill and they hoped the tzedakah would be a zechus for him and help him merit a yeshuah. They were looking for a place that would fill these requirements.
on: The Questi t to Our reques t”a, li h s , Maran is to please as to instruct us e iv g to whom so to y e n the mo ld u o h s that this h a k be tzeda lelo mehuderes
Hador the Public:
ld be given to
a’ir
“Refuah Sheleimah,” was the answer. And then, “Kupat Ha’ir is a tzedakah mehuderes.” No interpretations or lamdanus necessary. No more deliberations. The answer was clear and explicit. “Kupat Ha’ir Bnei Brak is a tzedakah mehuderes.” Is that what they’re looking for? Indeed! If so, Kupat Ha’ir is the answer. Two years ago, when a gabbai from abroad sent the famous question regarding the astronomical sum of $300,000 – he wanted to know which tzedakah organization the gedolim supported and recommended – Harav Chaim Kanievsky’s answer was short and to the point:
wer: The Ans a’ir Kupat H akah is a tzed . es r mehude gaon Ha (Maran haim Harav C , ky Kanievs shlit”a)
The Qu e money stion: I wan tt t shlit”a o a tzedaka o transfer t he h fund , supp orts a nd rec that Maran, omme nds
“Kupat Ha’ir” That was all! When people inquire about “a tzedakah organization that Maran trusts and recommends,” Maran has one very clearcut, unequivocal response: Kupat Ha’ir… The passage of two years, its vicissitudes notwithstanding,
The An swer: Kupat (Maran Ha’ Hagao Kaniev n Hara ir Bnei Brak sky, sh v Chai m lit”a)
The Question: What is the opinion of Maran, shlit”a on this? Where does Maran recommend I transfer the tzedakah money for the poor and needy that I receive from abroad?
has not changed this position in the slightest. Kupat Ha’ir has remained Kupat Ha’ir. It has grown and expanded and begun branching out to more and more areas, but the base has remained the same: trustworthiness, integrity, absolute obedience to the gedolei hador and worthy of their unstinting support and extraordinary admiration.
A Public Question and A General Answer The Answer: Kupat Ha’ir Bnei Brak is a place that is scrupulous and active in tzedakah.
The Question : I’d like to tr ansfer the money to a tz edakah orga nization that Maran, shlit”a, ebdo rses and recommends
The Answer: I received your distinguished letter about the great mitzvah of tzedakah…. Since I am close to Kupat Ha’ir, the renowned tzedakah of Bnei Brak, I can confirm that it is completely a mitzvah leshmah with no disadvantages at all, and fortunate is he who distributes to this.
The second letter to make its way to Kupat Ha’ir presents a similar question, but from a public point of view. The manager of an institution receives sums of money from philanthropists abroad who ask him to transfer their contributions to the needy of Eretz Yisrael. He wants to know of an organization the gedolim support, recommend and trust. Where should he send the money? Maran Harav Wosner, shlit”a, responded, in his slow, deliberate manner:
“Kupat Ha’ir is a place that is scrupulous and active in tzedakah.” Then he added, “It is one of the places that is like this.” There is so much to learn from such a reply. A place that is scrupulous! Anyone who is a little bit savvy, who understands a little bit about these things, who knows what other organizations look like behind the scenes, who is aware of what
goes on under the surface – knows that “a place that is scrupulous” is a rare accolade. With these words, Harav Wosner awarded Kupat Ha’ir its symbol of integrity while making sure not to cast any doubt on other organizations. “One of the places that is like this.” There are others! There are other good organizations that find favor in both the eyes of Hashem and the eyes of the public. But when you ask him, when you want his ruling, when you seek his personal recommendation – he knows Kupat Ha’ir. Kupat Ha’ir is a place that is scrupulous. With Kupat Ha’ir, there are no discrepancies, no detours, no outside considerations, no personal favors, no subjectivity… a place that is scrupulous! When asked where to give these sums of money, Harav Wosner recommends one place: Kupat Ha’ir. It is the ones he knows personally. It is the ones he can vouch for. Here, too, Maran’s opinion has not changed one iota since that historic letter from two years ago, in which he wrote:
“Since I am close to Kupat Ha’ir, the renowned tzedakah, I can confirm that it is completely a mitzvah leshmah with no disadvantages at all, and fortunate is he who distributes to them.” Here, too, Maran presents his immediate reaction: “Kupat Ha’ir!” Maran is familiar with and trusts additional tzedakah organizations as well, but when asked for his recommendation, this is his answer. The truth is that if you analyze the question and answer in depth, it seems that Maran sensed that he was in fact being asked: “What would Maran do? To whom would he give the money?” And to that Maran had an unequivocal response: Kupat Ha’ir.
A Letter to a Third Party The third letter that made its way to Kupat Ha’ir is slightly different. It presents the request of Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit”a, to the Rav of an esteemed kehillah abroad to endorse Kupat Ha’ir. In the letter, Harav Lefkowitz appeals to a third party, explaining to him what Kupat Ha’ir is all about. His choice of words speaks for itself:
“They are honest and trustworthy people and they see to all the needs of the poor on a voluntary basis. This supports and rescues thousands of needy people.” It’s difficult to contain the power and complexity of these words, each of which conceals an entire world. Maran, shlit”a, requests that the Rav encourage his community to contribute to Kupat Ha’ir because in Maran’s eyes, Kupat Ha’ir is sufficiently worthy to ask others to make an effort on its behalf. He knows that the benefit that will be derived from such funds is inestimable. Harav Lefkowitz’s response, too, is very similar to the one he wrote two years ago in that famous letter.
“I am familiar with the large institution where everyone works l’shem Shamayim to help extricate families from the pressing poverty they suffer. This is the institution of Kupat Ha’ir.”
The Questi on: The Ra v of a kehil abroad so lah ught Mara n, shlit”a’s on which o pinion tzedakah h e should e his comm ncourage unity to co ntribute to .
The Answer: He should support Kupat Ha’ir Bnei Brak… because I know them and [know that] they are honest and trustworthy people and they see to all the needs of the poor on a voluntary basis. This supports and rescues thousands of needy people.
The Question: I want to transfer the money to a tzedakah fund that Maran, shlit”a, supports and recommends
The Answ er: I am fa miliar wit institutio h the larg n where e e veryone w Shamayim o rks l’shem to help ex tricate fam the pressin ilies from g poverty they suffe institutio n of Kupa r. This is th t Ha’ir e
Here, too, he mentions the same points: the fact that everything is done on a voluntary basis, the honesty and integrity, and the results: “supports and rescues thousands of needy people,” and “help extricate families from the pressing poverty they suffer.” Harav Lefkowitz continues to maintain close contact with Kupat Ha’ir. He follows its activities closely and acts as one of its main supporters. His daily contact with Kupat Ha’ir strengthens and deepens the same principles he seeks: trustworthiness and success in aiding others! And two years after he penned his famous response, he continues to recommend Kupat Ha’ir as his first choice. Three letters found their way to Kupat Ha’ir. Three letters, each of which floods the heart with feelings of satisfaction and joy, gratitude to Hashem and prayer for the future. The Gedolei Hador give Kupat Ha’ir their blessing, recommend it, endorse it. The Gedolei Hador are pleased with everything that is done, from big to small. They accompany the organization every step of the way, and they give the same instantaneous response to others who ask as well: Kupat Ha’ir. It isn’t easy to earn such praise. It isn’t easy to acquire such levels of satisfaction and admiration. It isn’t easy to merit such reactions. And we need tremendous siyatta dishmaya not to stumble in any area.
The Deciding Factors Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a:
“Among the organizations that can be trusted is Kupat Ha’ir, which carries out its work faithfully and on a voluntary basis.” He, too, mentions the same points.
They carry out their work faithfully! On a voluntary basis! The Gedolei Hador feel it… The truly difficult cases come to them. Tears drip onto their tables. They see the bowed heads, hear the sighs, sense the despair. The Gedolei Hador live for the people! And these people return after Kupat Ha’ir has entered the picture. Not always do they know that it was Kupat Ha’ir that set them on their feet. But the Gedolei Hador know… they hear about the change and how it came about. They sense the dignity and sensitivity in which assistance is provided. And they see the results. It is therefore no surprise that when the Gedolei Hador are asked where they would give their money to, which organization they endorse, which institution they consider the most suitable – it comes as no surprise that they respond, “Kupat Ha’ir!” Two years ago, when we publicized the letters written by the Gedolei Hador, shlit”a, the public response was very strong.
The Question : I’d like to tr ansfer the money to a tz edakah orga nization that Maran, shlit”a, endo rses and recommends
The letters proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Gedolei Hador all felt the same way, all shared the same view: Kupat Ha’ir! The astonishing compatibility that so amazed the public is repeating itself once more: Kupat Ha’ir!! Fortunate are we that we have merited this! Everyone who is associated with Kupat Ha’ir – volunteers and contributors alike – has merited the trust of the Gedolei Hador. Every contributor merits to have his money enter this system and wind up in the right hands via the mediation of the Gedolei Hador, shlit”a. Every contributor merits the implicit trust of the Gedolei Hador.
Among the The Answer: s that can be n o ti a iz n a rg o ich pat Ha’ir wh u K is d te s u tr fully s work faith carries out it ntary basis.” and on a volu
M
Matanos l’evyonim
Actively y Hador in Cash “Check out this family. I’m sure the stories they’re feeding me are just excuses. They don’t have food – that’s why they’re making up such stories!” The caller on the other end of the line sounded alarmed. The family he was referring to was his own sister’s family. He simply couldn’t believe that all the strange things that were
going on there lately were the result of baseless ideals. Kupat Ha’ir verified the matter. With the passage of time, our volunteers have become experts at ferreting out even the most closely guarded secrets. Secrecy and discretion continue to be the cornerstones of our work. Do not humiliate is a tenet adhered to even more scrupulously than before. But our methods of verification have improved tremendously.
The information was correct. The family had no food. The father brought home NIS 1600 (approx $400) a month from kollel. The mother was a homemaker. National insurance payments for the children and national insurance welfare payments were the only supplements to the family’s meager income. They were saddled with a mortgage for an apartment they had purchased on paper a few years after their wedding.. There was no bread – literally. Kupat Ha’ir swung into action. The family was relatively new to the neighborhood. Even their
Day
Matanos l’evyonim
close relatives had no idea how bad their situation was. It took a few months for the mother’s brother to smell a rat and call us – and that’s when the rescue mission began. A new family? Yes. New to neighborhood, but unfortunately, the situation of heartrending poverty in which they found themselves was all too familiar. There are so many families whose fortunes have suddenly taken a turn for the worse, who cannot climb out of the abyss they’ve fallen into when their breadwinners were fired from their jobs, or whose sources of income have dried up when a family member fell ill. Not always is the situation obvious to others. Sometimes, it takes a while before the gloomy picture grows clear. And then, either because someone in the family can no longer tolerate the suffering or because a sensitive outsider senses that something is not in order – the information is transferred to Kupat Ha’ir. And Kupat Ha’ir will not rest until the matter is taken care of.
People try with all their might – with all their might – to conceal their situation. They do an excellent job fooling people. But Kupat Ha’ir knows the truth. They know it better than anyone else. Kupat Ha’ir gets phone calls like the one described above, small notes written by concerned neighbors, whispered appeals in the dead of the night: We can’t take it anymore… The very worst and most desperate cases of distress find their way to Kupat Ha’ir. And Kupat Ha’ir gets to work. Before Purim, meetings upon meetings are held during which the rabbanim determine which families can be classified as evyonim mehudarim. On Purim, when you search for a suitable evyon with whom you can fulfill the mitzvas hayom – know that you can most assuredly find him at Kupat Ha’ir. Because when Kupat Ha’ir classifies someone as an evyon, there is not a chance in the world that he has a secret source of income. His With the advent of situation has been verified Purim, people look down to the last detail and the for “the perfect evyon” rabbanim at Kupat Ha’ir trust the “verification committee’s” with which to fulfill report implicitly.
the mitzvah of Matanos l’evyonim, someone To make sure who can be classified you’re truly as needy according to all fulfilling the opinions. But it is precisely mitzvah of matanos those true evyonim who le’evyonim lemehadrin, conceal their situation, contribute to making it hard to find Kupat Ha’ir. them.
מרן הגרש“ה וואזנר שליט“א ביום הפורים
מרן הגראי“ל שטיינמן שליט“א ביום הפורים
Of the Gedolei Hador
O
Actively y in Cash
On Purim Day
The Gedolei Hador know all this. Wherever they may be, on Purim morning after davening and krias hamegillah, the Gedolei Hador seek out the gabbai for Kupat Ha’ir in
f the Gedolei Ha order to give him their matanos le’evyonim money. Lots of people come to the Gedolei Hador to pour out their hearts. They hear plenty of tales of woe firsthand. They are privy to stories of such distress that they cannot sleep at night. Ostensibly, they ought to be able to decide on their own to whom to give their matanos le’evyonim money! But the Gedolim know that Kupat Ha’ir’s verification system is preferable! Sincere as the people who come to see them may be, sometimes there are additional aspects to a story. Sometimes there are frozen assets; sometimes a person’s distress over the situation in which he finds himself paints a picture bleaker than the truth. When Kupat Ha’ir stands behind a name, that person is truly needy, an evyon mehudar. And the Gedolei Hador know it and seek out Kupat Ha’ir in order to contribute through them. The Gedolim’s precise instructions are studied weeks in advance. Kupat Ha’ir’s shailos (halachic questions) regarding the mitzvah of matanos le’evyonim are presented to them and answered clearly and in detail.
m Matanos Of the l’evyonim Gedolei Hador The rabbanim incorporate these instructions into the regular procedures and there is no deviation. No deviation at all! The Gedolei Hador trust Kupat Ha’ir to follow their instructions precisely. And they are not mistaken. On Purim day, the matanos le’evyonim money of the Gedolei Hador comes to Kupat Ha’ir along with everyone else’s, where it is distributed to the poor in the same honest and trustworthy manner, the same dignified and respectable manner, as everyone else’s. Where the Gedolei Hador are involved, everyone can rest assured that nothing will go wrong,that the welloiled machine that hums along on Purim day will operate smoothly, that the volunteers who set out will reach their destinations safely and complete their mission. The blessings of the Gedolei Hador rests upon this enterprise and the fact that their money, too, is inside the system, the fact that their fulfillment of the mitzvah is also dependent upon Kupat Ha’ir, paves the way for everyone else. If you want to look to the Gedolei Yisrael on Purim and follow in their footstep, you will find that they give their matanos le’evyonim via Kupat Ha’ir. That is what they deem the best way to fulfill the mitzvah.
ador
He who merits follows their example!
מרן הגרמ“י ליפקוביץ שליט“א ביום הפורים
כ“ק מרן האדמו“ר מבעלזא שליט“א ביום הפורים
r
Actively in Cash
On Purim Matanos Day l’evyonim
A
A great hiddur in the mitzvah of matanos le’evyonim is to give the needy people cash that can be used immediately, on that same day, to buy food for the seudah and for mishloach manos. But nowadays, when we make payments via credit card or in installments, when checks are largely
astronomical sums – millions of shekels! But Kupat Ha’ir is never intimidated by a challenge. We take huge loans to cover contributions that will come due over the next few weeks and prepare cash in envelopes in their stead. For many weeks preceding Purim, the gabba’im of
ctively in Cash used in place of cash and postdated checks are common, in today’s day and age, it isn’t easy to come up with cash for all the matanos le’evyonim money you want to give. Never the less Kupat Ha’ir provides everyone who opts to fulfill the mitzvah of Matanos l’evyonim via Kupat Ha’ir with the complete hiddur. If a person contributes via credit card, or in three installments, Kupat Ha’ir will redeem that sum and transfer it in cash to a needy person. The same holds true for checks, postdated checks, and postal checks. They’re all redeemed in advance and exchanged for cash. This is no easy feat. We’re talking about
Kupat Ha’ir work to secure loans. Loans in dollars, loans in shekels, loans on such terms and loans on others – loans, with all the headache they involve. Kupat Ha’ir dares not take the risk of falling into debt, so envelopes were prepared with only the amount of money we estimated would come in. Additional envelopes are constantly created as more money comes in. Every sum means the joy of Purim will enter another gloomy household.
They gain, we gain, you gain!
O G
Off the Gedolei Hador Matanos le’evyonim in cash – they gain, we gain, you gain! What transpires at Kupat Ha’ir on Purim day? It’s hard to follow the frenetic pace of activity, but no one who sees it remains unmoved. The first thing that grab a visitor’s attention are the telephones. The dozens of phones are constantly – and we mean constantly – ringing, often simultaneously. At six in the morning, there are 20-25 simultaneous phone calls; at eight or ten o’clock, the forty extensions are busy and flashing lights indicate calls that are waiting to be handled. The telephone operators, have their hands full. They write the amounts of the contributions that come in on sheets of paper prepared in advance especially for this purpose. There’s no time to enter the information in the computer on a day like today! The amount of money to be distributed to the poor grows and grows…. Messengers are dispatched. Each one receives a box with envelopes arranged according to localities. The messengers, grab their boxes and hurry off to fulfill their missions. They return, report addresses, take another box, and set off once more. In the meantime, envelopes come in from local rabbanim who accept people’s contributions on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir. This is the first collection for the day. The volunteers sit down in pairs to open the envelopes and carefully list the amounts and the names of those contributors who have submitted a request to have their names forwarded to the Gedolei Hador, who will pray for them and bless them. Other volunteers take the lists of names from the envelope-openers and the telephone operators, copy them over
Actively in Cash in a neat, clear handwriting and prepare to send them to the Gedolei Hador. All this time, the fax machines are busy spewing reams of paper. Another batch of postal checks arrive and the driver who has been circulating with a microphone mounted on his car, exhorting Yidden to contribute to Kupat Ha’ir, rushes in as well. The volunteer in charge of emptying the Kupat Ha’ir pushkas throughout the city brings bags of coins. Dozens of pairs of hands get busy opening, sorting listing, transferring…
כ“ק מרן האדמו“ר מנאדבורנה שליט“א ביום הפורים
Another batch of contributions comes in from local rabbanim and the work goes on. The envelopes are opened, the names written down and transferred to the Gedolim… and the sun is nearly setting… The supervisors hurry home to fulfill their obligations of seudas hayom and mishteh yayin. They’ve been here all day, supervising the goings-on and making sure everything ran smoothly. Everyone suddenly notices that his hands ache, but the faces… the faces glow with satisfaction. But the work is not yet over. There are still last-minute telephone calls, last-minute problems duly solved, another few envelopes that can still be squeezed in before sunset…
Sunset! What a day!
מרן הגר“ח קנייבסקי שליט“א ביום הפורים
On Purim Matanos l’evyonim Day Kupat Ha’ir’s huge logistical system ensures that the home of every needy person is visited on Purim day, so that the contributions of those who depend on us to help them fulfill the mitzvah of matanos le’evyonim are distributed bo bayom, on Purim day. With Hashem’s help, this incredible system has proven itself every year anew; Kupat Ha’ir merits incredible siyatta dishmaya every minute of the day. The fact that the matanos le’evyonim money of the Gedolei Hador enters the system along with everyone else’s surely adds merit from On High. Aside from the halachic aspect of all this, it is a huge merit in its own right.
We all prepare for Purim some time in advance. We plan the kids’ costumes, plan the menu of the Purim seudah and prepare a guest list, stock up the freezer and shop for mishloach manos accessories. We are so distantly removed from those homes
Off the Gedolei H
O
where a battle for survival, a true battle in the fullest sense of the word, takes place every single day. For these families, Purim is a stab in the heart, a day its members prefer not to think about. It’s hard to be happy, to look happy, when your heart is in a state of upheaval. It’s hard to put on a brave front when inside, you’re desperate. What point is there, for them, in thinking about Purim? The thought of receiving gaily-wrapped mishloach manos fills them with dread because they don’t have what to give in return. Thinking about the Purim seudah makes their stomach hurt: what point is there in a Purim seudah if there’s nothing to eat? The children wait expectantly, certain in their childish innocence that Purim, at least, will be different. It’s going to be so hard to have to disappoint them! And they don’t have to – because Kupat Ha’ir steps in. Sometimes, there’s a knock on the door and someone hands the head of the family an envelope, a gift from Shamayim. His hand trembles and his heart swings between relief and
Pur D
Actively y in Cash
O
On Purim Day
dejection at being the recipient of tzedakah. But on Purim, everyone extends his hand and everyone receives! Sometimes, the money is transferred to the family in the cleverest of ways, with tremendous creativity. Either way, Purim becomes a day of joy. There’s money with which to buy whatever they need for the Purim seudah. They can go shopping and bring home all the family’s needs and pick up a few things to gladden the children’s hearts! They can prepare pretty mishloach manos baskets they won’t feel ashamed to give. A mini version of the huge race against the clock that takes place at Kupat Hai’r’s offices on Purim now takes place in all those homes that waited for – and received – an envelope. Suddenly, new blood flows in the parents’ veins. They send the children off to the grocery or supermarket and Purim takes on a new look and feel. Bo bayom… The joy and relief is indescribable. Every year anew, when Kupat Ha’ir thinks that “this year there won’t be any such families,” we see that there still are. Apparently, there is a heavenly decree that there always remain needy families.
n urim Day
Bo bayom fulfilling the mitzvah behiddur!
כ“ק מרן האדמו“ר מלעלוב שליט“א ביום הפורים
כ“ק מרן האדמו“ר מטשרנוביל שליט“א ביום הפורים
A River o The Households of the Gedolei Hador See Yeshuos, Too! The amazing stories about Kupat Ha’ir, the yeshuos that people have come to accept as part of life, crop up from time to time in the households of the Gedolei Hador as well. They, too, are only mortal. They, too, sometimes require yeshuos large and small – and they, too, know that the right address when looking for yeshuah is Kupat Ha’ir.
That Is Certainly the Right Thing to Do The atmosphere in the house was one of tension and worry. It was as if a hidden cloud had descended, making for poor visibility. Harav Chaim Kanievsky’s personal key ring had disappeared. Among the keys on the ring was the key to Reb Chaim’s private study, which was now locked. Also lost were keys to drawers where Reb Chaim kept money entrusted to him by others, important family documents and other people’s classified information. Where were the keys? The family searched the apartment over and over again, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Every place Maran had been since the last time he’d seen his keys was searched meticulously. The key ring was not found. Could it be that someone had stolen it? It was apparent to all that the Rav was very perturbed. This was no simple matter. He bore a serious responsibility to others and his keys protected that responsibility. What to do now? Harav Kanievsky is not one to talk a lot, but those close to him can tell what he’s feeling. The pressure mounted steadily. In the evening, one of Rav Chaim’s grandchildren came to visit. He heard the story and the descriptions of the frantic searches and sensed the tension in the air. He looked around, trying to catch the eye of someone else from the family. The question in his own eyes
was obvious: did his saintly grandfather have to be reminded about the existence of Kupat Ha’ir? All of Am Yisrael knows what one does in a situation like this! You contribute to Kupat Ha’ir and you find what you’re looking for! There was no answer in the eyes of the other family members. They felt the same way, but… was it all right to say something? In the end, Rav Chaim’s grandson worked up the courage to suggest to his grandfather that perhaps a contribution should be made to Kupat Ha’ir. “Yes, yes, that is certainly the right thing to do,” Rav Chaim exclaimed. And on the spot, he withdrew a twenty-shekel bill from his pocket and gave it to his grandson to put in the pushka. Now the family members exchanged glances once again. Ten seconds passed, twenty, half a minute, forty seconds… would something happen? An entire minute ticked by. Everyone held his breath. Nu? The entire household stood ready, certain that something was about to happen. A minute and twenty seconds, a minute and forty… Before two full minutes had ticked by, there was a knock at the door. An avreich walked in with the familiar key ring. He had been walking along the short path between Harav Kanievsky’s house and the Lederman beis knesses, an area that had been thoroughly searched twenty times, and he had stumbled on the key ring. People had told him that it belonged to Harav Kanievsky. Was it true? He didn’t understand the reason for the excitement sparkling in everyone’s eyes. But they certainly did!
You’re Right; You’re Right! Erev Yom Kippur. In the home of Maran Hagaon Harav Steinman, shlit”a, final preparations were underway in anticipation of the holy day. A member of the family went to the closet to prepare the Rav’s kittel. But The kittel wasn’t in its place. A search of the closets did not turn up the kittel. There
of Yeshuos weren’t that many closets to search; the number of places the kittel might be were rather limited. Had a hanger fallen to the bottom of the closet? No. Maybe the kittel was hanging under something else? No. Had it been folded and placed on an upper shelf? No. The preparations continued, accompanied by the nowfrantic search for the kittel. Should Maran be told that the kittel had disappeared? Should efforts be made to come up with an alternate kittel? Would Maran want to wear a garment that wasn’t his own on the holiest day of the year? And who had an extra kittel? Whoever had one needed it. Most people don’t have spare kitlach. It was already very late… Maran noticed that something was up. He asked what everyone was looking for and was told that his kittel was missing. Not a shadow passed over his saintly face. He was preoccupied with far loftier matters. But the family was under a lot of pressure. “We’ve got no choice,” said one of the grandchildren, trying to ease the uncomfortable tension. “We have to contribute twenty shekels to Kupat Ha’ir.” Maran heard the comment and his grandchild began to fear he had spoken out of turn. Perhaps it had been wrong to tell his saintly grandfather what to do? “You’re right; you’re right!” Maran said with a smile. He gave his grandson twenty shekels and pointed to the Kupat Ha’ir pushka on his table. The bill was not yet all the way through the slot when a cry came from the other room. “I found it!”
Not One Evening Later The date was 7 Teves, 5768. Malky, a twenty-three-yearold young woman, sat dejectedly in her house. There was not even one serious shidduch suggestion for her to consider. Her friends already had a child or two and she was still in her parents’ house. The warm wishes of all the kind and caring souls she knew were beginning to cause her no small amount of distress, as were Abba’s looks and Ima’s fervent recital of Tehillim. Her eighteen-
and-a-half-year-old “baby sister” spoke of friends getting engaged. It was hard, so hard… “If I get engaged by Rosh Chodesh Shevat,” Malky said to her brother that evening, trying desperately not to lose hope, “I’ll contribute NIS 500 to Kupat Ha’ir.” On Rosh Chodesh Shevat, weeping with emotion, her brother called Kupat Ha’ir. She could not speak at all for emotion. The plate had just been broken! Mazal Tov!
Beyond Despair Mrs. Z was worried. Very worried. The doctors had set a date for a C-section and she was so frightened… She went to daven at various holy sites and her husband visited various tzaddikim to receive their blessings. But the situation remained unchanged. She was summoned to the hospital to see if there was any other recourse. An alternate treatment was suggested, but it was not without risk. They deliberated and asked questions and then went ahead and tried – with no results. Surgery would still be necessary. When the time came, and she stood there shaking with fear, her father said to her husband, “Maybe we should contribute to Kupat Ha’ir?” They weren’t wealthy people, far from it… “Six hundred shekels is the maximum I can afford,” the worried husband said. Truth be told, six hundred shekels was beyond what he could afford. The doctors examined Mrs. Z once more and the results surprised the doctors and the Z family as one. The baby was born perfectly h e a l t h y without surgical intervention!
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On PuArimminyaDn ay of Talmidei Chachamim will pray for you at the Kosel !
l e s o K e h t t a l e it v K r u o Y
Donations can be sent to:
Name and Mothers Name
Shmuel Berenbaum Ztl Rabbi Chaim Leib Epstein Shlita 1795 East 7th Street 1608 46th Street Brooklyn, New York 11223 Brooklyn, New York 11204 Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser Shlita Rabbi Malkiel Kotler Shlita 1336 East 21st Street 521 5th Street Lakewood, New Jersey 08701 Brooklyn, New York York 11210 Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon Shlita Rabbi Aron Schechter Shlita 637 6th Street 1248 east 12th street Lakewood, New Jersey 08701 Brooklyn, New York 11230 Rabbi Pinchos Breuer Shlita Rabbi Moshe Wolfson Shlita 1167 East 29th Street 1574 43rd Street Brooklyn, New York 11210 Brooklyn, New York 11219 Rabbi Don Blumberg Shlita Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer Shlita 4 Yale Drive 8 Ash Street Monsey, NewYork 10952 Monsey, New York 10952
Name and Mothers Name
Home of Rabbi
Request
Request Name and Mothers Name Request
Please print legibly You can transmit names via the telephone hotline after making a contribution via credit card
1-866-221-9352
y
y a r p l il w , a t" li h s r, o d a lei h o d e g e th , Y A D M I R U P n O Y. A D M I R U P e r fo e b in e m for all the names that co
Please daven on my behalf for: נחת מהילדים
Nachas from children זרע של קיימא
For children רפואה שלמה
For a refuah sheleima (speedy recovery) זיווג הגון
For zivug hagun (worthy mate) פרנסה
Parnassah (livelihood) with ease
Please fill in your Hebrew name and mother’s Hebrew name
Urgent requests are immediately forwarded to the home of the Gedolei Hador
How do I donate to Kupat Hair? your donation in the enclosed your donation to the Rabbonim in envelope. 3 Send your area (see list on Envelope). 1 Send Call the 24 Hour Tzeddakah Hotline Send your donation to: at of Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum Zt”l 4 Home 2Fax: 1795 East 7th Street, (donation by credit card)
1-866-221-9352
1888-633-2188
Email: info@kupathairusa.org Brooklyn, N.Y.11223 Please make checks payable to: American Friends of Kupat Ha'ir
Montreal: Rabbi Y. C. Wenger Shlita, 2227 Goyer Avenue, Montreal Quebec H3S 1H1 In Send your donation to: Toronto: Rabbi M. M. Lowy Shlita, 240 Carmichael, Toronto Ontario M5M 2x4 Canada Please make checks payable to: Canadian Friends of Kupat Ha'ir
1-866-221-9352
24 Hour Tzeddakah hotline For all information or to receive a pushka call 1-800-233-2188 Our office number in Israel: 3-671-6994
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