לכבוד חאגע

A Mussar Lesson

One of those stories that you're not sure what to about. Do you emulate the Rov and Rebbetzin and prepare nosh for the little monsters, or do you just take it as a lesson in kiddush hashem bichlal, just to be sweet and nice and polite to nit-Yidden? I wonder if Rav Pam's children do the same today. I think I may have done the same thing when I lived in a mostly non-Jewish building in Crown Heights. Maybe not prepare bags of popcorn beforehand, but I may have given some nosh to the kids if they rang my doorbell. I'll have to jog my memory a bit.

But wait, There's more!! Here's a comment that was posted to this story:

"For what it’s worth, I learned in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Queens, NY. It was common knowledge that the Rosh HaYeshiva - Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt”l - and his Rebbitzen, a”h, would hand out candy to the local non-Jewish trick or treaters who came to their door (back in Forest Hills there were many non-Jewish neighbors) Many Yeshiva bochrim lived in their basement over the years and will readily testify to this. This is part and parcel of being a good neighbor. BTW, Rav Pam & Rav Henoch were “classmates” as young men & learned under Rav Henoch’s father - Rav Dovid Leibowitz, zt”l - for several years. Rav Dovid was a very close friend and older Chavrusah of Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky’s back in Slabodka. Word is that Rav Yaakov, zt”l, would also hand out candys to the local non-Jewish trick or treaters. There’s an easy to follow trail to their attitudes and behaviors."

You hear that, you people in Boro Park and Williamsburg??!!

The point isn't chas vesholom to laugh at Rav Pam. I'm just allergic to such goody-goody stories, as well as how this gadol said good-morning to the janitor in his building and that gadol would tip his postman come Kratzmech. I blame my chassidishe upbringing for that. We focused more on the length of your peyos and the type of hat you were going to wear. Lubavitchers are also guilty of too many of those kinds of stories, just so that you know and see that I'm being sincere here. Have a Happy One!