KUPATHAIR

Maran Hagaon Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, שבועות במגבית צדקה "נתינת קופת העיר סגוה הצחה בתורה"

Maran Hagaon Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a,davening for the contributors to Kupat Ha’ir at the Kosel

THE TZEDAKAH OF THE GEDOLEI HADOR IN ERETZ YISROEL

“Contributing to Kupat Hai’r’s Shavuos fundraiser is a segulah for success in Torah study.”

Kupat Ha’ir continues to receive countless responses to the four letters publicized in the previous brochure. It’s incredible how varied the responses are…

“Amazing,” people say. “It’s amazing how the various gedolim all gave the same response… that they all decided – each for his own reasons – that Kupat Ha’ir

was the most appropriate organization to distribute the huge donation to the poor.”

“But what really went on there?” many people probe. “Were the letters really sent spontaneously? Weren’t the responses crafted in advance?”

“Chas veshalom,” others reply. “If it were possible to dictate to a gadol hador what he ought to write, he wouldn’t be a gadol hador – he’d be a spineless puppet. If that’s the way you think of the gedolei hador, I have nothing to discuss with you!”

People keep rehashing the issue, talking about it, wondering aloud, marveling.

Four letters and one identical response – it was too astounding to be forgotten about within a short while. If we thought the matter would cease to be of interest within a week or two, we were mistaken.

“It’s hard to understand,” people say, shrugging their shoulders. “We don’t question the gedolim’s opinions, chas veshalom, but why didn’t they instruct the letter writer to divide the sum among the various tzedaka organizations, or at least the largest and most prominent ones? What justification is there in giving all the money to the needy people of one organization?”

“What did you expect?” others say, genuinely surprised by the question. “Anyone who follows the gedolim’s activities ought to have been able to predict such an outcome. The handwriting appeared on the wall a long time ago already. The gedolei hador have long been telling anyone who asks them to where to contribute tzedaka money to give it to Kupat Ha’ir. The letters simply made public what has been going on “underground” for ages. There’s really nothing new and surprising about the four letters!”

Personal TestimonyHagaon Harav Meir Waltner, shlit”a, Rosh Kollel Ohr Yechiel in Yerushalayim, relates that he once came to Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a. While waiting behind a half-closed door, he clearly heard the voices from within the room. Someone asked Harav Kanievsky what to do with a sum of money he had obtained for tzedaka purposes. Harav Kanievsky immediately replied that he should forward the money to Kupat Ha’ir.

“I don’t know who the man was,” Harav Waltner says, “but Harav Chaim’s response came so quickly, so easily… as if the man had asked a question to which the answer was perfectly obvious. As if there was no alternative to even consider. Perhaps there really isn’t!

For details: Hagaon Harav Meir Waltner

02-6415436

Shortly before Purim last year, a group of some fifty Jews from America visited Eretz Yisrael. Of course, one of the highlights on their list of activities was a visit to Maran Harav Kanievsky, shlit”a. Each of them requested a bracha and wanted to give a pidyon.

Harav Kanievsky refused to accept the money.

“But I’ve already promised the money to tzedaka,” said the first man in line, sounding distressed. What would he do with the money?

“Ah, you promised it to tzedaka? So give it to Kupat Ha’ir!” Harav Kanievsky said with great simplicity.

One after the other, all fifty men stepped forward to receive a bracha. Each of them took out a sum of money for tzedaka and each received the same reply: Give it to Kupat Ha’ir.

For details: Harav Efraim Glassman 1917-865-3035 (one of the group)

For their Eternal BenefitHagaon Harav Eliyahu Mann, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Yisrael and one who is very close to Hrav Kanievsky, forwarded a question he had received by fax. Someone had received a considerable sum of money from which he had to give ma’aser. He wanted to know whom to give the money to. On the sheet bearing the question,

Harav Kanievsky wrote: “to Kupat Ha’ir of Bnei Brak.”

For details: Hagaon Harav Eliyahu Mann 03-6771717

A distinguished avreich from Kollel Ponevizh received $5000 from a relative in the United States with the request that he give the money to tzedaka in her merit, as she was to undergo surgery. Unsure where to give the money, he asked Harav Kanievsky what would be best for his relative. He, too, received the same response, and the money was given to Kupat Ha’ir.

For details: Hagaon Harav S. Levy

054-5319318These stories are just a sampling of the dozens of stories that flowed into Kupat Ha’ir’s offices as a result of the publication of the gedolim’s letters.

What came as a surprise, however, was that Kupat Ha’ir was not merely Harav Chaim Kanievsky’s “default setting,” but much more.

Here we accept contributions on behalf of Kupat

Ha’ir.Hagaon Harav Moshe Smutney, who serves as Harav Kanievsky’s meshamesh relates: “Last Friday, a yid entered Harav Kanievsky’s home with a bulky envelope in hand. He placed the envelope on the table, noted how much money it contained, and asked Harav Kanievsky to

forward it to tzedaka.

Harav Kanievsky smiled and said emphatically, “Here we accept contributions on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir.”

So simple!

Here we accept contributions on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir.

Who are we to add to that? Who are we to explain why?

Now the questions have dissipated of their own accord.

The gedolei hador know that if people ask their opinion; if yidden want the name of an organization they can recommend - we have the answer!

True, there are many good yidden who practice tzedakah and chessed – but the gedolei hador cannot award a hechsher to everyone… In order to grant an official seal of kashrus, you’ve got to know everything about the way an enterprise works. You need to be absolutely certain that every single action carried out – no exceptions - is in accordance with the rules created at the outset. You have to know that there are no deviations, no holes.

The gedolei hador have already testified – on more than one occasion – that Kupat Ha’ir does not deviate ever so slightly from their instructions and that everything is carried out with absolute integrity al pi da’as Torah.

Kupat Ha’ir continues to be deserving of this trust.Maran Hagaon Harav Kanievsky, shlit”a, considers Kupat Ha’ir the special organization. He is willing, for it’s sake, to invest far more than one would expect.

Though Harav Chaim’s willingness to daven for contributors even during intensely personal, private, spiritual times is well known to all, it never ceases to amaze us.

I would like to ask Maran,

shlit”a: I am a gabbai

tzedaka who lives abroad.

I have received a sum of

money to forward to an

institution that distributes

funds to the poor. I would

like to forward the money

to a tzedaka organization

supported and endorsed

by Maran, shlit”a. I ask

that Maran respond to my

question so that I may know

what to do.

Respectfully,

A. F.

I am familiar with the large institution where everyone works

l’shem Shamayim to help families and extricate them from the poverty from which they suffer and that is

the institution named Kupat Ha’ir of Bnei Brak.

Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz

Greetings with love. I received your

esteemed letter about the large-scale

mitzvah of tzedaka of which you

are in charge. Since I am close to

Kupat Ha’ir, the famous tzedaka

[organization] of Bnei Brak, I can

confirm that it is entirely a mitzva

leshma with no faults at all, and

fortunate is he who contributes to it.

Signed, awaiting Hashem’s

salvation

Shmuel Halevi Wosner

Kupat Ha’ir Bnei Brak.

(Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kaniesky, shlit”a)

Among the institutions that can

be trusted is Kupat Ha’ir of Bnei

Brak, which is run honestly and

on a volunteer basis

Aharon Leib Steinman

Along with the other three Gedolei Hador, Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, shlit”a, honored Kupat Ha’ir with a visit to the offices. Although he felt very unwell that day, he didn’t want to postpone his visit.

He entered the Kupat Ha’ir offices through the main room and stopped short - thunderstruck – opposite the “Fund

Wall.”

Plastered on the wall opposite the telephone operators are the flyers of all the funds spearheaded by Kupat Ha’ir. (This helps eliminate mistakes.) Every flyer and its story; every flyer and its bitter cry. Harav Lefkowitz stood rooted to the spot next to the wall, his eyes streaming with tears.“I didn’t know there were so many tragedies,” he said with heartrending pathos.

Harav Lefkowitz then sat down at the computer and made inquiries about each branch of Kupat Ha’ir. He spent quite

some time analyzing the “Income/Expense Sheet” and lingered over the huge binder containing these monthly reports, filled out by every family that requests assistance. He scanned every page and checked to see whether the balance seemed logical, that there were no unnecessary expenditures. He expressed his satisfaction upon hearing that Kupat Ha’ir has someone inspect every report extensively, marking a note of his questions, if such arise, for the rabbanim to review.

“If only every household was run according to this sheet,” Harav Lefkowitz said, looking at the form admiringly.

Thirteen SoulsHarav Lefkowitz then reviewed the House Visit reports. The reports, written by a social worker who volunteers her services on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir, contains every imaginable detail regarding the household as she sees it. The report details the questions she asked the parents and the answers she received. (Not always can she directly ask questions such as: Do you allow your children to fritter money away? Do they take money without your express permission? The answers to these questions, which are crucial with regard to the type of aid the family should receive, are obtained by inquiring other questions, such as where the children attend school, for example.) The social worker also describes the appearance of the house, how neat and clean it is (neglect is often the result of illness, depression, or low mental level) ad her impression of the children and the suffering they are experiencing. Harav Lefkowitz read the reports and the pain he felt was practically tangible.

The rabbanim of Kupat Ha’ir asked Harav Lefkowitz some questions that were on the agenda that day. A family of thirteen living in a tiny two-room apartment had asked for assistance in purchasing a slightly more spacious apartment. What should their response be?

Harav Lefkowitz sighed. “People don’t know what they’re missing out on… It used to be that when a father studied Torah at home

Maran Hagaon Michel Yehuda Le

Maran Hagaon Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a

Maran Hagaon Shmuel Wosner, Shlit”a

Maran HagaonAharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS TO THE OFFICES OF KUPAT HA’IR

(as featured in our Chanukah 5766 issue)

in the evening, he did so near the children’s beds, because the apartments were small and every available inch was taken up with beds. The children fell asleep with the sound of their father’s Torah study in their ears… and they grew up to be talmidei chachamim in their own right…”

The rabbanim nodded, but to their surprise, they had misread Harav Lefkowitz’s meaning.

“Nowadays, a crowded apartment has a negative effect upon children, and the family should be assisted in moving. A suitable apartment is important for the family because it will preserve their emotional stability.”

At the same time, Harav Lefkowitz spoke painfully about those who spend beyond their means on vacations. “Money should not be thrown away,” he said. “It should be given to those who need it, as much as they need…”

Kupat Ha’ir adheres fervently to that principle, and Harav Lefkowitz mentioned that numerous times.

“I hear many stories…” Harav Lefkowitz said. The admiration was evident in his voice as he noted the deep trust he feels for Kupat Ha’ir as a result of the many incidents he’s heard about directly from those involved.

One such story involved a family in which a widow had no food for Shabbos by Friday afternoon. It was then that Kupat Ha’ir learned about her difficult situation. They immediately sent a check that arrived, miraculously, during those desperate erev Shabbos hours. Harav Lefkowitz heard this story from the “other side” – the receiving end…

But he paid closest attention to the funds. He took the folder

containing the details of the families and could not contain his tears as he looked through it, wetting the pages with his tears.

“How do you estimate how much money you need for each fund? Until what age do you provide for the children? How much is a family awarded for steady living expenses, and how much is set aside to marry off the children? What happens when there are emergency expenses?”

The rabbanim and gabba’im answered the questions, their eyes damp as well.

Harav Lefkowitz spoke at length about the difference between a family struggling to cope, in addition to its sorrow and loss, with the fruitless chase after a livelihood – and one that has had the financial burden removed from its shoulders so that the remaining parent’s energy can be invested in helping the children recover from the trauma they have suffered.

“So many people have seen yeshuos in the merit of

Kupat Ha’ir,” Harav Lefkowitz said, “that it’s clear Hashem approves of the way things are run here. I have personally heard from people who have contributed and merited yeshuos…”

Over and over again, Harav Lefkowitz repeated that the fact that Kupat Ha’ir “seeks out the needy” and that they conduct such extensive verification before providing aid is what makes it such a “good messenger.”

“People can make Kupat Ha’ir their messengers for the mitzva of tzedaka. Kupat ha’ir does not “throw money around” – that was very important to Harav Lefkowitz. They don’t make any decisions on their own – they consult da’as Torah regarding virtually every detail. Harav Lefkowitz spoke of his personal acquaintance with people who receive assistance in a respectable fashion. Some people don’t even know that they are receiving assistance…

It was hard to hear him. He spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper – but the content was powerful and unequivocal: he was familiar with Kupat H’ir inside and out, from the side of the rabbanim who ask his advice, from the side of the contributing public and from the side of the needy recipients. He knows Kupat Ha’ir extremely well – and not from the stories…

“We have merited a tzedaka organization that is a cornerstone,” Harav Lefkowitz said as he prepared to leave. His eyes were still filled with pain, but they now contained a certain glow as well. “It’s a place everyone turns to: the contributors seeking a trustworthy organization to make sure their tzedaka reaches the right people, and the recipients seeking assistance without humiliation.”

a Lefkowitz, Shlit”a, on his historic visit to the Kupat Ha’ir offices

Yeshuos in Kupat Ha’ir

When a family requests assistance from Kupat Ha’ir, a member of the staff – let’s call her Mrs. N. - is dispatched to visit the family at home in order to gain an impression of the situation. These visits, of course, are uncomfortable for both the family and Mrs. N. No one appreciates a breach of privacy, after all, and Mrs. N. certainly does not enjoy being the source of other people’s discomfort.

Hundreds of small details are transmitted during the brief visit: some consciously, some subconsciously. Mrs. N. takes note of the atmosphere at home (calm or aggressive); the degree of cleanliness, or, alternately, neglect; the overall health of the various members

of the family; their ability to function properly; etc. She looks at the refrigerator (full or empty?), the pots (clean and shiny, or sticky and filthy?), and the beds (meticulously made with frayed and worn linens, or concealing expensive treasures?) – but there’s much more she must absorb as well. Among the furniture and the appliances there lives a family - a family suffering distress so acute it had no choice but to appeal for help.

“We deal only with families whose situation can be described as ‘shocking’ or ‘catastrophic,’” says Mrs. N., unaware of how shocking her words are to the uninitiated. “Unfortunately, though, there are many families who fit those criteria.”

People are not angels. Everyone struggles with difficulties, and sometimes the difficulties loom so large that they threaten to bury the family beneath them. In many cases, a “side problem,” one that is engendered by a larger, more specific hardship, proves more difficult to deal with than the main tzara.

A child is hospitalized with a serious illness. His parents are with him the entire time, 24 hours a day. Sometimes one of them leaves to catch a few hours of rest in order to gather strength for the following day. Tragically, these parents have already lost a child to the same illness a few years back. The anguish of parents who have lost a child and are going through the same tragic experience a second time is unfathomable.

In the meantime, the home is being destroyed. No laundry, no cooking, no PTA meetings. Nothing exists besides for the hospital and doctors and treatment.

The family submitted a request for help with taxi fare. The exhausted parents could not handle traveling back and forth to the hospital by bus (the trip involved three busses each way). A visit to their home revealed a picture that the parents, in their terrible distress, hadn’t even seen: they needed a lot more than taxis…

Kupat Ha’ir sent a volunteer, a special

woman, to serve as a substitute mother. She cleaned heads(!!!) and changed linens, organized the cabinets and cooked meals. She saw to it that there were cleaning supplies in the closet and created a rotation system among the children so that the basic household chores would be done. She was warm and devoted and the children confided their problems in her. The mother, too, found a listening ear in her… the family’s situation improved immeasurably.

And then there was a lady who called, wailing hysterically. “There’s no food at home,” she sobbed over the phone. “My husband doesn’t give me any money. We have nothing to eat; we’re starving!”

Kupat Ha’ir sent Mrs. N down.

She found two huge refrigerators brimming with appetizing gourmet dishes and delicious salads.

“She wasn’t lying,” Mrs.N. reported, not a trace of resentment in her voice. “The woman is suffering severe emotional distress.”

It is rare for people to try and extort money. The public appreciates that Kupat Ha’ir money is ma’aser money contributed by families who themselves live frugally. The unfortunate woman was truly in distress. Mrs. N.’s visit revealed the true problem, and Kupat Ha’ir was able to help the proper way.

“People call up and beg to get another home visit,” says the secretary at Kupat Ha’ir, amazement evident in her voice. “You would think they would resent these home visits– it is a breach of privacy, after all – but they call and ask us to send Mrs. N. again! They sense that she helps them channel their ship (read: home) back on course. Her visit forces them to prepare, to pay attention to their bank accounts, to consider every expenditure – they sense an immediate improvement! Suddenly the money isn’t going to waste and they have enough to buy what they need.

“In the overwhelming majority of cases, the family gains a lot from the visits. The situation is usually more serious that can

House

Visits

דו"ח ביקור בית

be conveyed by phone. Families that used to receive only monthly support, based on the income/expense report they filled out, will often receive more extensive aid after we see the situation with our own eyes. It’s not always pleasant to think of a stranger coming into your house and sticking her nose in your pots – but the aid received as a result makes it worthwhile.”

Siyata dishmaya

There’s no alternative for the visit Kupat Ha’ir makes to people’s houses. It may be hard to believe that a woman can enter a house and absorb everything in one hour - and leave the family feeling respectable to boot. The reality is, however, that many families have been motivated to change their situation as a result of Kupat Ha’ir’s visit. Mrs. N. knows to ask the right questions in the most pleasant way possible, to avoid pressing on painful points and yet simultaneously to learn all the pertinent details. There is no tried and true formula for discovering that the family owns a car when they are resolved to withhold that information from us, or to notice that the calm and secure front the parents show is merely a façade concealing terrible family violence.

The most important factor necessary for the success of these visits is a hefty dose of sensitivity. When accompanied by a strong sense of mission and the years of experience accrued by Kupat Ha’ir, the odds for success are strong. Kupat Ha’ir, however, constantly bears in mind that the home visits are merely a form of hishtadlus. Siyata dishmaya is the true secret of the success behind these visits.

Mrs. N. is not a resident of Bnei Brak, so there’s no chance the people whose homes she visits will meet her on line at

PTA or in the grocery. As an “outsider,” it’s easier for families to open up to her. In any case – the families’ requests for repeat visits prove what these visits do for them, and what they don’t!

Every case is examined in depth. “We’re really needy,” a woman said tearfully over he phone. “But you won’t believe us…our

monthly income

exceeds ten thousand shekels.” A glance at the page of their expenses solved the enigma: the family has medical expenses in excess of NIS 8,000 per month. No wonder they don’t have what to live on..

“There are no rules. Each family is an entire world, and not everything depends on a family’s income. Kupat Ha’ir does not employ concepts such as ‘per capita income’ or ‘per capita allotment’.” Sometimes a family’s income is impressive, but the expenses are even more so. In some cases, the budget can be balanced if the

family lives very frugally and takes great care with where and how they spend their money, but you can’t expect a family with two sick children and one hyperactive one to divide their shopping list among three supermarkets in order to save money. They simply can’t handle it!”

Of course, we keep tabs on the situation to see if the families are coping with

the new arrangements we make and how they affect the household. As a general rule, people that are determined to help themselves manage to extricate themselves from poverty surprisingly quickly. The most important factor is siyata dishmaya, and after that, a sense of determination, a willingness to adopt new rules, and strong faith in the rightness of doing so.

In most cases, the house visits confirm the reports Kupat Ha’ir has received regarding a family’s situation. Sometimes, though, question marks remain, question marks that must be solved through diligent work and intensive efforts.

“Kudos to Kupat Ha’ir for verifying like this,” people tell Mrs. N. at the end of a visit. “You refuse to throw money

around… that’s good; it’s one hundred percent right.” The information gleaned from the various forms of verification, including the house visit, is transmitted to the rabbanim. It is they who decide upon the best way to help the family. The decision takes into account not only the immediate situation but the implications of the hardship the family is likely to suffer in the future. In other words, a solution is sought that will enable the family to extricate itself from the thorny net in which it finds itself as quickly as possible.

...Kupat Ha’ir supports the truly needy

...all the money goes to Tzedaka

...Kupat Ha’ir provides each family according to its need

and its situation

...is a Tzedaka fund by perfection in Halacha and

perfection in integrity

...it’s a loftier level of Tzedaka

...Kupat Ha’ir Bnei Brak is unique

...as a result, the fund is better

...everything is carried out with integrity no one earns a

profit

Especiallyfor Women

TO HEAR THE GEDOLEI HADOR CALL 1-718-303-3794

To listen to Maran HaravShmuel haLevi Wosner shlit”a

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To listen to Maran Harav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, shlit”a

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To listen to the Belzer Rebbe, shlit”a

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To listen to Maran Harav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a

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To listen to Rebbetzin Kanievsky

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To listen to the Chernobyler Rebbe, shlit”a.

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To listen to Maran Harav Nissim Karelitz, shlit”a

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To listen to Maran Harav Aharon Leib Steinman shlit”a

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ערב שבועות

Harav Chaim Falaji’s father, zy”a אביו של רבי חיים פאלאג'י זיע"א

Erev Shavuos

And give them to a

needy, humble talmid

chacham...

It is a segulahfor childless

couplesand draws the

Redemption closer.

ויתנם לתלמיד חכם עני ועניו, והוא תיקון אדם הראשוןועוון העגל ולפגם הברית

והוא סגולהלחשוכי בנים

ומקרב הגאולהזכור לטוב הגביר וכו' שהיה מחלק סך רב לכל

הת"ח וצנועים בערב חג שבועות בשמחה ובטוב לבב, גם לשאר בשרי וכו'.

ÔΠ‡¯È Ì‰Ó˘ È„Î Ì˙ÂÓ˘ È˙¯ÎʉÂÓ˜ӷ ˘È‡ ˘È‡ ¢ÚÈ

וכבר כתבתי בזה בספרי הקטן "תוכחת חיים" מענין

חיוב להחזיק לומדי תורה בעצרת טפי משאר מועדים

יפריש צ"א פרוטות וישלים עד שיעור ב'

פעמים ב"ן,

One should set aside 91 perutos and then

add more perutos until he reaches the numerical

equivalent of twice the word “ben”

52+52=104

הגר"ח פאלאג"י בספרו מועד לכל חי

“While it is true that the tefila is the main thing, this segulah, received from Hagaon Harav Chaim Falaji, shlit”a, certainly adds a lot and it is suitable to publicize this.”

Harav Steinman was then asked if contributing to Kupat Ha’ir, which distributes money to talmidei chachamim on erev Shavuos, is considered “giving a talmid chacham.”

The Rosh Yeshiva replied: “Of course Kupat Ha’ir is the suitable address.” He mentioned a number of talmidei chachamim who receive aid from Kupat Ha’ir, whom he felt should be given the tzedakah on erev Shavuos.

“Harav Falaji’s intention, when he said ‘needy and humble talmidei chachamim,’ was undoubtedly people like these. May Hashem Yisbarach help all those who need a yeshua and bless them with all their needs.”

Maranan Verabanan, shlit”a, Support Kupat Ha’ir’s

For zera shel kayamaOver the past few years,

Kupat Ha’ir has been publicizing the segulah for zera shel kayama of

Hagaon HaravChaim Falaji, zy”aa great mekubal who livedmore than 200 years ago.

Throughout this period, Kupat Ha’ir has received

hundreds of letters recounting open miracles that

came about as the result of this segulah. With

Hashem’s help, hundreds of couples have merited

a yeshua and been blessed with a child.

Some people felt that the segulah should not be

publicized. They argued that the segulah may have

been intended only for the time and place in which

Harav Falaji publicized it, and also that people

should be encouraged to rely on tefila, rather than

segulos.

At a Kupat Ha’ir meeting, it was decided to present

these questions to the gedolei hador, shlit”a, who

guide Kupat Ha’ir every step of the way.

Their response was unequivocal: the segulah

should be publicized, and Kupat Ha’ir is the most

suitable conduit through which to perform this

segulah. Many people have already been helped

this way, and with Hashem’s help, many more

will be helped.

Following are the responses of the gedolim, shlit”a:

“We have no business with hidden matters and segulos, but Hagaon Harav Chaim Falaji does not need my support. Certainly, the body most capable of performing this segulah is Kupat Ha’ir, which is the “hand” of the gedolei hador to sustain the needy, including hundreds of talmidei chachamim.

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a:

Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehuda Lekowitz, shlit”a:

The Chernobyler Rebbe, shlit”a:

“Of course it should be publicized. Hagaon Harav Chaim Falaji was a great

tzaddik and a very great mekubal. May

Hashem Yisbarach help that everyone who

performs this segulah be blessed with zera

shel kayama and in all matters.

“Kupat Ha’ir has a great zechus to be the one

to publicize this,” Harav Kanievsky said.

Many people who had read about the segulah

in previous Kupat Ha’ir newsletters had

called the Kupat Ha’ir offices to inquire

as to the right way to perform the segulah.

Harav Kasnievsky was told that many people

contributed the sum of NIS 104, because the

segulah was to give 104 perutos, and a shekel

is the smallest unit of currency in Eretz

Yisrael today. Harav Kanievsky was asked

if this was the right way to do the segulah,

or if the exact value of a perutah had to be

calculated.

“There’s no need to figure out shiur perutah,”

Harav Kanievsky replied. Those who give

NIS 104 are probably right. It surely is

not a drawback to give more, and the most

important part is the zechus of tzedakah.”

When Harav Kanievsky was asked if one

had to count 104 coins or if it was okay to

write a check or contribute with a credit card

for the aforementioned amount, he replied

“It would seem that it can be done that way,

too.”

“It is a great mitzva to publicize a segulah from a famous tzaddik and mekubal from 200 years ago that will, be’ezras Hashem, help childless couples.”

The Rebbe then added: “The recipients of Kupat Ha’ir are definitely talmidei chachamim. I personally know a number of talmidei chachamim who receive aid from Kupat Ha’ir, and they are definitely needy and humble Torah scholars. Kupat Ha’ir can be trusted to fulfill this mission in the best possible manner.”

With regard to the details and way the segulah should be performed, the Rebbe said, “The matter should be verified with the great mekubalim and tzaddikim, shlit”a. Every wise man should act wisely. The main thing is that tzedaka should be plentiful, and we should merit great yeshuos.”

Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, saw and approved this massage.

Maran Hagaon HaravChaim Kanievsky, shlit”a:

From the words of Maran HaravChaim Kanievsky, shlit”a:Certainly, contributing tzedaka to a worthy cause such as Kupat Ha’ir is a proper form of hishtadlus, which effects many yeshuos to both individuals and the general public. We see many such examples in Tanach and Chazal. Of course, the intention is not that whoever gives tzedaka will certainly be helped; sometimes, there are certain other factors that hold back a yeshua. The intention of the Tanasch and Chazal is that the merit of giving tzedakah to the poor is very powerful indeed, and that this is a suitable and proper form of hishtadlus.

In the name ofHagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky,Eliyahu Mann

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of 5764,

They, too,

On erev Shavuos, 5762, Reb Moshe, a Chassisdic young

man from Bnei Brak, found himself looking at a poster

from Kupat Ha’ir. The poster spoke directly to his heart:

it bore an excerpt from the sefer of Harav Chaim Falaji,

zy”a. This is what it said:

“...he should set aside 91 perutos and then add perutos

until he has reached the equivalent of twice the numerical

equivalent of the word ben. This money should then

be given to a poor and humble Torah scholar. This is a

segulah for childless couples.”

This poster spoke to Reb Moshe’s heart because he was

still childless after a number of years of marriage. He was

deeply pained by the situation, and desperately worried.

He and his wife couldn’t bear the feeling of emptiness

in their home. They longed to care for a baby, to shower

a child with love. They wanted with all their hearts to

fulfill the mitzva of “go forth and multiply,” and to raise

a child al pi derech Torah. They also wanted dearly to

gladden their concerned parents, whose eyes were filled

with sadness and concern at their plight.

At first, they did what every Jew in such a situation

does: they turned to the Healer of all Flesh, praying and

pleading that He grant them a child. They poured their

hearts out at the Kosel and visited kivrei tzadikim all over

the country – but still they were alone. They knew that

no tefila was in vain, but they longed to see tangible proof

that Hashem was listening to their prayers.

Upon his Rebbe’s advice, Reb Moshe and his wife were

beginning to consider turning to doctors for help, although

they really didn’t want to. Reb Moshe did not lose his

emuna in Hashem for a moment. He was certain that

Hashem would send them a yeshua. In the meantime,

though, the days stretched out long and empty before

them, without the sound of a child’s whimper to break

the silence.

On erev Shavuos, as Reb Moshe stood looking at the

poster, a small but powerful voice deep inside his heart

whispered to him that their yeshua would stem from here.

He had already tried numerous segulos, to no avail...but

this was a segulah from Harav Chaim Falaji, the great

rav of Izmir, and the poster said the segulah dated

back 200 years and that many

people had been helped.

Reb Moshe contacted

Kupat Ha’ir with a question: how much is a peruta

in modern currency? Kupat Ha’ir told him what the

equivalent of a perutah would be today, and after doing

the arithmetic, Reb Moshe saw that 91 perutos came to

all of six and a half shekels. He consulted with a friend of

his, a talmid chacham, who told him that when the word

perutah is used, the intention is not a specific value; rather,

it means the smallest unit of currency in a particular

area and time period. In our times, the friend advised, the

equivalent of a perutah would be a shekel.

Reb Moshe went to a gabbai tzedakah in the neighborhood

to change a NIS 100 bill for one hundred one-shekel coins.

His wife found him sitting and counting coin after coin,

counting to 104 coins, a smile illuminating his face. Reb

Moshe hurried to explain what he was doing, adding

“When we are helped, when the promise of the tzaddik

Reb Caim Falaji is fulfilled, be’ezras Hashem, I promise

to publicize the miracle.”

“Perhaps the koach of the mitzva of tzedaka will join

all the other segulos we’ve done, and tip the scales in

Shamayim in our favor,” his wife said. She believed that

tzedaka tatzil mimaves, charity rescues one from death,

and for her, the long years of barrenness were comparable

to death.

Some time after Shavuos, Reb Moshe met one of the

avreichim who volunteers for Kupat Ha’ir, and he inquired

as to the precise source of the segulah. “What difference

does it make now?” the avreich wondered. “Shavuos is

already behind us.”

Reb Moshe, however, was very eager to know the source,

so the avreich showed him exactly where in the sefer it

was written. Reb Moshe went home filled with hopes,

expectations, and a prayer on his lips.

A few weeks ago, less than a year after he read Kupat

Ha’ir’as poster, Reb Moshe embraced his infant daughter!

But promises may not be forgotten. Reb Moshe wants with all his heart to fulfill his promise and publicize the story of his miracle.

Anyone interested in hearing the story firsthand is welcome

to call

972-507-616217

Yeshuas Hashem K’heref Ayin

This story appeared in the Shavuos newsletter of 5763Kupat H

chazafor fo

consecutivpeople have zera shel k

has a

זקה

5766

Two weeks before Shavuos 5763, the M. family received a brochure

from Kupat Ha’ir in its mailbox.

When Mrs. M read the story about Reb Moshe, who was helped

through a segulah of Rabbi Chaim Falaji, zy”a (the story that appears

on the previous page), she felt her heart contract with longing. She, too,

had been married quite a number of years and was still childless.

When she told her husband what she had read, they decided together to

donate 104 shekels to Kupat Ha’ir on erev Shavuos, to be transferred

to a poor talmid chacham. They hoped that with Hashem’s help, their

story would be the miracle publicized in the Kupat

Ha’ir brochure of Shavuos 5764. Months

passed, an on erev Pesach, Kupat Ha’ir

received the following letter:

Thrice – A Chazaka

v Shavuos, 5762, Kupat Ha’ir publicized the

h of Harav Chaim Falaji, zt”l, to give 104

s (twice the numerical equivalent of ben) to a

talmid chacham, for people who didn’t have

en. On erev Shavuos, 5763, Kupat Ha’ir

cized the story of a man who verified what s a

peruta was in modern times. He was told that

me to a very small sum, but that the accepted

ice was to use a shekel as a perutah. The man

104 shekels (with 104 one-shekel coins) and

rev Pesach of 5763, a son was born to him,

many years of barrenness.

erev Shavuos of 5764, the Kupat Ha’ir

sletter told the story of a woman who saw the

ve segulah in your newsletter and donated 104

kels on erev Shavuos of 5763. Before Pesach

5764, the couple was blessed with a daughter.

ey, too, had suffered many years of barrenness.

Although my wife and I have baruch Hashem been

blessed with children, our home had not been graced

with a new addition for five years. As a general rule,

I don’t do segulos, but since everyone knows that the

stories in Kupat Ha’ir’s newsletters are absolutely

true, and since two people had been blessed with a

child within a year of the segulah, I decided to go

ahead and try as well. I davened to Hashem that I

merit to make a kiddush Hashem by publicizing the

story of my miracle.

I performed the segulah on erev Shavuos of 5764,

and before Pesach of 5765, a baby boy was born to

us. I am overjoyed to have the merit to write this to

you. May many members of Klal Yisrael merit

to write letters like this one for the Shavuos

newsletter of 5766.

The P family Bnei Brak

03-5799394

Nisan 5764Sichu b’chol nifla’osavIn the fundraising brochure of 5763, you printed a segulah for zera shel kayama: to give 91 perutos to tzedaka. At the time, I agreed to send the money and promised to publicize the matter when we merited a yeshua. With Hashem’s help, we celebrated our son’s bris approximately one week ago. Be strong, and may Hashem be with you in all you do.

Family M

The M family asked that its cell phone number

appear in the Shavuos newsletter, so that they

could share with everyone this wonderful segulah

and the yeshua they merited.

The phone number is 972-506-942405

ותפקוד לכל חשוכי בנים....

This item appeared in the Shavuos newsletter of 5764

This is the first of dozens of lettersthat arrived before Shavuos of 5765

at Ha’ir

azaka or fourcutive years, have meritedhel kayama

has a

חזק

Levi is a longtime friend of Baruch. The two grew up

together, attended yeshiva together, and married within

a few months of each other. Levi’s home was soon filled

with the sound of childish laughter, but Baruch was

not so fortunate. He and his wife were not blessed with

children.

The years passed, and soon Levi was celebrating his

children’s bar mitzvahs and then their marriages, while

Baruch’s home remained as silent and orderly as it had

been immediately after his marriage. Baruch found it

difficult to discuss his painful situation, even with his

close friend, and Levi was careful not to ask too many

questions. During the rare moments when Baruch

confided in him, he listened, but he never probed.

Last year, after reading the article in Kupat Ha’ir’s

newsletter regarding Harav Chaim Falaji’s powerful

segulah for children, Levi’s heart contracted in pain as

he thought of his friend. It seemed the segulos worked

for everyone but him… Baruch had been married for

25 years now, and he was still childless.

Had Baruch done the segulah? Levi didn’t want to ask,

for fear of causing his dear friend pain, but in his heart

he felt sure that after 25 years of childlessness, Baruch

had already tried everything. Still, he couldn’t put the

article out of his mind.

On erev Shavuos, Levi suddenly decided to take action.

He couldn’t ask Baruch whether he had tried the

segulah, but he could contribute without telling anyone

a word.

He went to his local grocery store and changed a 100-

shekel bill to one hundred 1-shekel coins. He then

added four more one-shekel coins, put the money in

an envelope, and personally delivered it to a rav who

accepted contributions on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir.

Before Pesach of the following year, Baruch became

the proud father of twins.

Now that Baruch’s

The Chiddush of 5766

anguish was a thing of the past, Levi dared ask

him whether he had ever tried Harav Chaim Falaji’s

segulah. Baruch stared at him in astonishment: he

had never heard of the segulah! (Apparently, there

are still some people who don’t read Kupat Ha’ir’s

newsletters… interesting.)

There follows an excerpt from Levi’s letter:

There are three lessons to be learned from my story:

First, Harav Chaim Falaji’s segulah helps even in

“tough cases”… even for couples married 25 years.

Second, the segulah helps even when one party

contributes on behalf of someone else. If you don’t feel

comfortable asking a childless acquaintance whether

he’s heard of the segulah, you can contribute for him.

Third – and this lesson applies not only with regard

to childless couples or contributions – never take for

granted that someone knows what everyone else does,

that he’s tried the obvious, that he understands what

seems perfectly clear to you. Don’t just assume – take

action!

Tel: 02-5862471

A distinguished Jew from Bnei Brak who also did the

segulah for his daughter without telling a soul, has

this to say:

Do the segulah without fanfare. Chazal say that

blessing rests upon the inconspicuous, and segulos, too,

need Hashem’s blessing to be effective.

The yid promised to publicize the segulah when his

daughter merited a yeshua, and he is hereby fulfilling

his obligation.

Tel: 0506-698870

Koh Lechai!

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לזיווג�הגון

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The Gedolei Hador immersed in prayer on erev Yom Kippur of 5766

You too can merit receiving a personal Bracha

How do I donate to Kupat Hair?Send your donation in the enclosed envelope.

Call the Tzeddakah Hotline (donation by credit card) at 1-866-221-9352Fax # 718-972-8971

4

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2

31

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