The boys left Lakewood with more than they’d bargained for

Last week, students from the JEC High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey visited Lakewood, where they spent part of their morning learning in Beth Medrash Govoha.

They were also treated to a spontaneous, short talk from Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen. Rav Cohen shared with the boys that he had undergone a procedure on his hand earlier that week and had made a cheshbon hanefesh to explore why he had needed this operation.

The Rav — a grandson-in-law and talmid of Rav Avigdor Miller ztz”l, who’s often expounded on the importance of gratitude to Hashem — said that perhaps he hadn’t been grateful enough for his hands. He encouraged the boys not to go to sleep without writing down two things for which they were grateful to Hashem.

The boys left Lakewood with more than they’d bargained for: an energizing seder, a chance to hear from a talmid chacham, and a practical, and hands-on, lesson for life.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 961)