וסרתם מן הדרך אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם (ראה יא:כח)

A bochur (teenage boy) from Sombateli (Szombathely, Hungary) started straying from Yiddishkeit. His friends persuaded him to travel to Belz, hoping that being in the presence of Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt”l would evoke feelings of teshuva (repentance) in him.

The bochur arrived in Belz; however, he did not visit the shul, daven at his lodgings, or bother to attend the holy Rebbe’s tish. He continued acting as he pleased. His friends realized, to their regret, that their efforts to bring him to Belz were in vain.

One morning, the bochur passed the home of Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt”l and heard from the window a deep krechtz (sigh) emitting from Maran, as he was saying brokenheartedly: “Oy, Oy, it is already a quarter past six!”.

The krechtz (sigh) penetrated the bochur’s heart and significantly impacted him. From that day on, he took it upon himself to improve his behavior and live a Torah life.  Within a short time, he became an ehrliche (devout) bochur – all because of a krechtz from Maran zt”l.