Chesapeake Torah

Our Neighbor, Mr. Schmell, ZT”L

Last summer, we lost our dear neighbor, Mr. Schmell, ZT”L. Mr. Schmell was a special person, and we feel privileged to have spent so many years as his neighbors.

Mr. Schmell was an example of how a true Yid is supposed to live. He always had a good word for everyone. He loved Davening and learning. He was literally moser nefesh to attend Minyanim in Shul. Going to shul was painful, but he pushed himself. He loved giving the children candies – teaching them how sweet Yiddishkeit truly is.

I would like to focus on an important lesson that we learned from Mr. Schmell. Mr. Schmell taught us many things, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind – is how anyone who knew Mr. Schmell in his later years - knew what Yissurim he endured. He was constantly in pain. And yet – he kept on fighting to live. All of his health issues couldn’t stop him. He had such a strong will to live.

I once heard a vort from the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, Shlit”a, a person who himself lives in constant pain – which helps us better understand Mr. Schmell’s powerful drive to live:

Paraoh had three advisors, Iyov, Yisro and Bilaam. Considering the Jewish people a serious threat to him and the land of Mitzrayim, he called his advisors and consulted with them. At the conference, Bilaam suggested the idea of drowning all newborn Jewish boys. Iyov was silent. Not wanting to be present when plans were being made against the Jewish people, Yisro ran away.

In the end, Midaah k’neged Midaah - Bilaam was killed, Iyov endured his famous sufferings, and Yisro was rewarded to have Moshe as his son-in-law and his descendants as members of the Sanhedrin.

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, ZT”L, asks, it would appear that the punishment that Iyov received – a lifetime of suffering – is much worse than Bilaam’s punishment of death?

He answers that there is nothing more precious in the world than life itself. Even with all of Iyov’s sufferings, he still had the one thing that Bilaam didn’t – life.

Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, Shlit”a, adds a beautiful thought to this answer - by explaining why is life so precious. As long as a person is alive – even if his body is racked with pain and suffering – he can still do things for others. He can still help others. That is what is so precious about life – even with pain.

Mr. Schmell lived in constant pain. Yet, he didn’t let that stop him. He kept on doing for others. As much as the pain tried to slow him down, that’s how much he kept on doing for others.

Mr. Schmell - even in intense pain - travelled to weddings, funerals, shiva houses, etc. He called many people - some sick, at home or in the hospital, others homebound. He always called people to wish them mazel tov, and to be misamayach them. He never failed to greet anyone he met with a big smile.

No one should ever be tested with the Yissurim Mr. Schmell endured. But, we can all learn from his ma’asim tovim. We can learn from how we witnessed a Yid – whose body was racked with pain and suffering – continue to do for others, to help others – no matter how much pain he was in.

TNTZBH”CH