Every moment, every decision and every step counts

Moshe Levi’s story is a resounding message for every Jew, a reminder about seizing the moment. Just a few weeks ago, this elderly resident of Givat Hamoreh, on the outskirts of Afula, was inspired to call the local Lev L’Achim coordinator and ask to be teamed up to learn with an avreich, as some of his friends had done. It sounded nice.

Rav Ben Ezra, the coordinator, assured Moshe it would be done as soon as the zeman resumed, and when Elul began, Moshe met his new chavrusa. They sat down to learn and when the session ended, Moshe, his face glowing, exclaimed, “This is the first time that I ever learned Gemara in my life!”

They made up to continue the next week, but two days later, Moshe Levi passed away in his sleep.

At a different time, after a similar story, Rav Moshe Feinstein said some people earn their World to Come in one hour, and some with one blatt Gemara.

Moshe Levi left the world not as a Yid who never learned, but as a Yid who learned and looked forward to continue learning.

Every moment, every decision and every step counts.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 877)