Non-religious Jews in Israel are so amenable to Teshuvah (Repentance) that often it is not even necessary to suggest to them to return to their roots. When they are impressed with a religious person acting the way the Torah stipulate, they frequently decide on their own that they want to be a part of such a prominent community.

In his new book, Borechi Nafshi on Vayikra, Rabbi Zilberstein shlita relates a story about Rabbi Yosef Leizerson zt"l who lived in Bnei Brak and took bus number 318 every morning to Rechovot where he headed a kolel. The bus driver was accustomed to seeing this modest passenger wait for him at the bus stop every morning for years.

One morning, for some reason, Rabbi Leizerson was a bit late and as he approached the road, he saw the bus already loading passengers. The bus driver saw the Rabbi across the street and signaled to him not to rush; he would wait for him. However, the elderly Rabbi did his best to get to the bus stop as fast as he could. When he ascended the stairs, a bit out of breath, the bus driver asked him why he had exerted himself in spite of the fact that he had indicated that he would be waiting for him until he arrived.

To the driver's shock, the Rabbi responded with his typical smile, "It was very nice of you to agree to wait for me. However, the bus is full of people who are in a hurry to reach their destinations. What right do I have to hold them up because I was late?"

The driver was amazed at the consideration of the Rabbi and began to interest himself in religion. First he began putting on tefillin; then he began to pray every morning before work, until he became a full fledged ba'al teshuvah.

Shema Yisrael Torah Network
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