15th story

Today we had a Shiur from Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm about, what else, 15 Shevat. The basic point was, what's up with it? Why celebrate it? We didn't really get an answer. Why don't we say Tachanun? Why can't we fast? It appears that there is a Siman in Shulchan Oruch, or that at least it's mentioned, but I wasn't able to find it. Sorry. How about a story instead?

Many years ago there was a great Rebbe named Reb Levi Yitzchak from Berditchev. I told a story about him to a friend last night, and I figure that since I really don't have too much else to write I might as well just tell it over here.

He had a son of marriageable age, and throughout the days Shadchanim, matchmakers, would come with proposals. Reb Levi Yitzchak would turn them down, and pay each one. Eventually the Shadchaim stopped proposing matches, because they knew that Reb Levi Yitzchak didn't have any money, and they felt bad wasting his money when obviously none of their suggestions were working.

A few weeks later Reb Levi Yitzchak called the Shadchanim and asked them why they had stopped bringing his son proposals? They answered that they didn't want to to pay for ones which didn't work out, since Reb Levi Yitzchak didn't have any money to waste. Reb Levi Yitzchak told them the following:

It says in the Gemara that forty days before a child is conceived a voice goes out in heaven and proclaims, "The son of so and so is going to marry the daughter of so and so." If this is the case, why is it so difficult on earth to find a match? The reason is that in heaven it's also not so simple to make a match. A voice announces, "The son of so and so will marry..." and immediately angels come and shout out names. Eventually one angel is heard above the rest, and his name is chosen as the one, at which point the heavenly voice proclaims, "The daughter of so and so." Sometimes only one name was spoken, and sometimes it's hundreds. Since our temporal world reflects the celestial realm, a person must go through all the proposed names before they find their true match. Every time a Shadchan proposes someone, even if it's not the right match, the true match is brought closer to fruition. And that's why I pay every time, because you're bringing my son closer to his wife.

It's a nice story, no? My friend really like it. He's in the middle of the dating scene. You have anyone for him?