הנני עומד לפניך שם על הצור (בשלח יז: ו)

When the city of Krakow wanted to appoint a new Rav, they were vacillating between two candidates. One of the two candidates was the Rebbe R’ Heshel of Krakow. The community leaders couldn’t decide.  Both were Tzaddikim and Talmidei Chachamim.

They decided to use a novel approach on how to reach a decision.  Both candidates were told to open a Chumash and find a hint of why he was fit to be a Rav in their city. The Chumash was opened at random to the pasuk mentioned above.

The Rebbe R’ Heschel said that it’s hinted in this pasuk that he should be Rav because the acronym of the words הנני עומד לפניך שם spells his name העשל.  The words על הצור (together with the phrase itself, which counts for one) total 402 – equivalent to the numerical value of קראקא when the name of the city “Krakow” is transliterated into Hebrew.  Thus, the Rebbe R’ Heshel was appointed Rav of Krakow.