Many people who had never met terror victim Ezra Schwartz HY”D came to the Schwartz family home in Sharon Massachusetts to be menachem aveil the family of the young Yeshiva bochur whose life was tragically cut short by a terrorist while Ezra was on a chessed mission, to let them know they were not alone in their grief.
Among those unknown visitors, early one morning after Shachris, was a distinguished looking gentleman with a white beard dressed in a Chassidic coat and hat. He stood quietly for a few minutes before taking a seat opposite the Schwartzes. Then after several minutes he stood up again and, in an obviously pained voice, said “I don’t know you but Klal Yisroel feels your pain – Hamokom yenachem eschem ….” Ezra’s father thanked him and asked his name. “Naftali Horowitz from Boston”, he murmured. As the visitor turned to leave someone whispered “that’s The Bostoner Rebbe”.
The Schwartz family were very moved by the visit. Those around them were equally moved by the genuine unpretentiousness of the Rebbe who didn’t mention anything other than his name when asked who he was. No title, just plain Naftali Horowitz. He didn’t want to take center stage. He saw no reason to say he was the well known Rebbe. That was not what mattered. What mattered was that he came, sharing the pain of other Yidden. And he came without an entourage, without a silver topped Rebbishe cane, without a driver. Sometimes it is who you are not what you are.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
He, like his father zt”l are very special people – very warm and genuinely loving and caring for any Yid.
What a beautiful & heartfelt chesed.
Just as Americans Yidden & others traveled hours to mourn with a family that they did not personally know except it was their “brother” … I will go & encourage others in Israel to do the same re our ‘mourning mishpachoes’
Gadlus
The Rebbe is an exceptional man, totally uninterested in the trappings but only the substance. He has that rare ability to totally switch off from everything else when he is talking to you. He is a very worthy successor as Rebbe to his wonderful father zt”l.
tzadik yesod olam
The bostoner rebbe (rav Naftali when I knew him) is a soft spoken, nice person (much like his father zt”l)
May Hashem help us learn the middos tovos exhibited by the Bostoner Rebbe.
Any Bostonian knows this is always true about the Bostoner Rebbe, R. Naftali, and his father before him. Not only modest, but astoundingly approachable, friendly, caring, and delightfully always present.
Not only Bostonians. The Rebbe goes to Yerushalayim several times a year to be with his Chassidim in Eretz Yisroel, where he is well known for his clear eitza and brocha. To those who knew his father zt”l, the expression you hear is how close the two of them are in humility and caring for another Yid, whoever he or she may be. The Rebbe has time for everyone. Truly an outstanding person and a most fitting successor as Rebbe.
This is how a gadol acts. He walks humbly, give chessed and leads by example.