B esides carrying out my rabbinical duties I have spent over 30 years in the classrooms of our yeshivos. 

Over those three decades I’ve had the privilege of teaching and connecting with many students. 

I so appreciate it when they come back to say hello though I often don’t recognize them at first. The boys were 12 and 13 at the time I taught them so I cannot be expected to recognize these fully grown men as they reintroduce themselves to me 25 years later.

We chat for a few minutes often share humorous memories from our times together in the classroom I inquire as to what they are doing and we part with a smile on our faces.

These brief reunions were the norm prior to reuniting with Yechiel Rubinstein (name changed).

Yechiel called and asked for an appointment.

I recalled him as a heavyset boy who was somewhat socially awkward. He arrived now wearing a suit; slim tall and very poised he had obviously mensched out in many ways.

I was surprised to hear he was a sixth-grade rebbi in an out-of-town yeshivah. He told me about his class and I was duly impressed at how successful he had become. After I’d asked about his family I rose to say goodbye and thank him for coming.

Yechiel hesitated and said “There’s one more thing I’d like to say.”

I nodded and sat back down. And Yechiel began to speak in a very emotional and halting manner.

“Rebbi I want to thank you but this is not your generic thank-you. There’s something very specific I want to thank you for.”

I listened intently.

“Rebbi if you remember I was a somewhat chubby seventh-grader with not too many friends. One day I brought to school a lunch of nachos smothered in cheese. My family had gone out to eat the night before and I was so excited to be able to bring the leftover nachos for lunch. In the lunchroom however when I took the remnants of last night’s meal from my bag the other boys erupted in laughter and derision. I can still hear their mocking and hurtful comments: ‘Hey Cheely you’re not really going to eat that slop stew?’ ‘Where did you get that mush?’ ‘Did you take it out of the garbage bin and put it on your plate?’ I was crushed. I had thought everyone would be envious of my special lunch while in reality it turned into my worst nightmare.”

I looked at Yechiel and couldn’t fathom why he was bringing up the incident. I vaguely recalled the event from 25 years ago but was at a total loss as to why he was now recounting it.

“Rebbi” he said “do you remember what you did then?”

I stared at Yechiel and said nothing for the simple reason that I couldn’t remember what I had done.

“Rebbi you moved your seat next to me and you said ‘Wow nachos! That’s a great lunch can I share with you?’ It was the proudest moment of my entire elementary school career. Rebbi was eating with me! The other boys thought you were a pretty weird rebbi for doing that but they stopped bullying me and they stopped their abusive comments. I had my dignity restored and for that I want to thank you.”

I was stunned into silence as I had no clear recollection of the event. Before I could think of how to react Yechiel removed a paper bag from his small suitcase.

And pulled out a big plate of nachos covered with cheese.

“Rebbi please let’s eat together!”

Lunch had never tasted so good.