Irgun K’vod Shomayim
Story by Reb Yoel Klopholtz, shlita
Last year, one of his children got very sick, rachmana latzlan. The child’s condition was so serious that he found it necessary to raise $200,000 for treatments. A certain yungerman from London assisted him greatly in raising that money. Reb Yoel got close with this yungerman and his family. Soon after, the yungerman in London was suddenly niftar, leaving behind an almana and several children, none of whom were yet married.
One night when the yungerman’s family went on vacation to Switzerland, the seven year old son suddenly woke up, screaming inconsolably. He was not even able to talk or explain what was wrong. The family enlisted the assistance of doctors, psychologists, and others who possibly would be able to help this boy cope with whatever trauma he experienced in his sleep.
Finally, after a number of hours, the boy began to talk. He related how his father, the yungerman who was recently niftar, came to him in a dream. The father described how they were tearing him apart in shomayim for talking during davening and not respecting Hashem properly in shul. The father explained that this inyan is extremely serious and something that is now causing him so much pain, and constantly.
The yungerman further explained to his son that normally people are not allowed to come down and relate what happens in the next world to people in this world. However, because he assisted Reb Yoel Klopholtz by raising large amounts of money for the critical situation Reb Yoel was facing, they let him come down and speak to his son to pass the message along to Reb Yoel that everyone should know how seriously they take this issue in shomayim. The yungerman finished off by saying that if this dream would be nisparsem (publicized), people would hear his message, be inspired, and would treat this inyan more seriously. In turn, this would be a tremendous zechus for his neshama and he wouldn’t suffer as much.
Irgun K’vod Shomayim (IKS) has taken it upon themselves to help spread this very important message. IKS has created a list that includes people from all around the world who were mekabel on themselves not to talk during davening and not to have a cellphone on in such a way that could disturb them or anyone else during the entire nusach hatefila. Everyone is encouraged to join the list both to be mechazek themselves as well as anyone else who views the list. Not only is one able to see the person’s name, the shul he davens in, and the city in which he lives, but also a number of gedolei yisroel have given permission to include them on the list as well.
The list can be accessed at:
www.kvodshomayim.org.
Please sign up and be mechazek as many people as you can.
TO LISTEN IN IVRIT: Reb Klapholtz
TO LISTEN IN ENGLISH: Reb Klapholtz
1 comment:
Why do people, to this day, talk during tefillah?
The Gemara (Berachos 6b) says, “There are things that stand in heights of the universe, but which people treat lightly.” An example of this is tefillah which rises up to Heaven (Rashi 'דברים שעומדים ברומו של עולם'). A few pages later, the Gemara (Berachos 32b) says that tefillah is one of the four activities which require strengthening. Rashi (צריכין חזוק) explains, "A person should strengthen himself in this constantly with all his energy." As Dovid HaMelech (Tehillim 27:14) states, “Hope to Hashem, strengthen yourself and He will give you courage and hope to Hashem.” This means that one must constantly strengthen himself during prayer to insure proper concentration (ArtScroll Berachos 32b, note 19).
Is it just tefillah? What’s the Gemara really trying to tell us? Anything that's a spiritual matter, people tend to throw to the side. For example hilchos tefillah, hilchos loshon hora, hilchos v’dabeir davar, hilchos sheimos and hilchos berachos etc.
Therefore, it’s crucial that one familiarize himself with these halachos. As the Chidah (Pesach Einayim, Eiruvin 64a and Chovas HaShemirah, chapter 3 'ודע עוד'). No one is perfect and people make mistakes. As Koheles (7:20) says, "For there is no man so completely righteous on earth that he (always) does good and never sins." However, to use the expression, “Ignorance is bliss” as an excuse is contrary to a Torah abiding Jew. In the words of Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz:
"Ignorance is not bliss; knowledge is of the utmost importance" (see The Six Constant Mitzvos by Rabbi Yehuda Heimowitz and Rabbi Shai Markowitz, page 220).
In Judaism, “Ignorance is not bliss; it’s a VIP ticket to eternal shame after departing from this world.”
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