Mamme Rochel

It was Rosh Hashanah, and the Minchas Elozor of Munkatch approached the lectern to give the sermon before the blowing of the shofar. Among his words he told this story.

The holy Meor Einayim was slandered by Misnagdim, and the government threw him into prison. He sat in prison for two weeks. Then, in his cell, our Matriarch Rochel came to him and promised that he would go free, and so it was.

Then the Munkatcher Rav turned his face to Heaven, spread out his arms and cried out in tears of longing, “Mamme, Mamme, Mother, Rav Nachum of Chernobyl sat only two weeks in prison and you freed him. Mother, what about us? For two thousand bitter years we have been exiled and imprisoned. Why do you not free us? Let us out.” His cry stirred such an awakening that the Chassidim said even the walls of the Bais Medrash wept.