ועשית מעקה לגגך…(כי תצא כב:ח)

If you build a new house, you shall make a fence for your roof. 

After being away from the town of Belz for ten years during WWI, Maran, Rebbe Yissocher Dov of Belz zt’’l finally returned home in the winter of 1925. Hundreds of Chassidim anticipated spending the first Rosh Hashanah that Maran returned to Belz. Reb Nachman Zeifart, a’’h, had just completed building a new hotel to accommodate the guests in Belz.

The morning of the first Selichos that year, word spread that Maran was planning a visit to Reb Nachmen’s hotel. Reb Nachman ran home to prepare for such a worthy guest. Shortly after, Maran, with an entourage of Chassidim, arrived at the hotel.

Maran kissed the mezuzah on the hotel’s front door and entered the foyer, with many chassidim squeezing inside.  Maran inquired where the quest would sleep, where they would eat, took a tour around the kitchen on the first floor, and went upstairs to the bedrooms.  When Maran entered one of the rooms facing the street, he peered out the window and noticed that the porch didn’t have a gate yet.  Maran tried opening the door leading to the porch. To Maran’s satisfaction, the door was locked.

“Where is the key?” Maran asked. “In my pocket,” replied Reb Nachman.

“To be more cautious, place a bed alongside the door,” advised Maran. And added, “Nachman, as soon as the Yomim Tomiv is over, make sure to finish the fencing!”  Maran spent another few minutes at the hotel, wished Reb Nachman and his family a Good Year, and bade farewell.

Filed under Parshas Ki Seitzei | The Frierdige Rov