The Kvittel for the Kosel

During his well-known travels in Eretz Yisroel, in the year 5690, Rav Chaim Elozor of Munkatch, the Minchas Elozor, made a trip one day to Har HaZeisim in Yerushalayim. There he davened at the kever of the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, and after davening he told his chassidim the following story.

When the Ohr HaChaim lived in Yerushalayim, one of his talmidim once came to him and cried bitterly over his lowly, pitiful state and his lack of means. His poverty and destitution had reached the point of starvation. “I can't even feed my own family,” he cried. “Please, Rebbe, help me. Daven for me and beseech on my behalf.”

The Ohr HaChaim was filled with compassion. He took a slip of paper and wrote a few words, a short note. He handed the folded note to his talmid and told him to approach the Kosel HaMaaravi, the Western Wall, the last standing remnant of the Bais HaMikdosh, and to place it into one of the cracks between the large stones.

The talmid left with the folded note and headed toward the Kosel. Just then a strong gust of wind blew off his head covering, and as he struggled to keep his head covered, the note slipped out of his hand and flew far away. The sad talmid went back and told the Ohr HaChaim what had happened. The Ohr HaChaim sighed and said, “What can I do? It didn't work out.”

Afterward, someone in Yerushalayim found the note signed by the Ohr HaChaim. It was a petition directed to the Shechinah in the language of Shir HaShirim: “Achosi raayosi yonosi samosi (my sister, my friend, my dove, my perfect one), I ask and request of You in mercy and compassion to send bountiful blessings of shefa to Ploni ben Ploni.”