ולא ראו איש את אחיו (בא י: כז)

And a man couldn’t see his brother (during the מכה - plague of חושך - darkness.)

A young bochur (teenage boy), a talmid of The Gra Hakadosh zt’’l, became blind as a child.  Despite his ailment, this bochur immersed himself in Torah learning and became a talmid chacham at a young age. The Gra himself bore the burden of finding a match for this blind young scholar.

Indeed, he became engaged to a refined girl whose father promised to support the groom’s Torah learning following their marriage.  On the wedding day, when the chassan (groom) came to place the veil on his kallah before the chuppah, as is customary, the Gra told the chassan: “Chazal say, “אסור לקדש אשה עד שיראנה – according to Jewish law, a chassan cannot betroth his wife before seeing her.”

As soon as the Gra finished his statement, the chassan’s eyes suddenly opened wide, and he miraculously started seeing.  All present saw Hashem’s wonders, and this couple merited living happily with generations of pious Jews.

Filed under Parshas Bo |