The Tefillah on Purim Night

An avreich who had not yet had children came to Rav Shimshon on Purim night and asked him to daven for him and his wife. Rav Shimshon rebuked him: "Do you think there is a single tefilloh in which I do not mention your name and your wife's name?"

A year later, on Purim night, Rav Shimshon called the avreich and asked whether they had still not received an answer to their prayers. The avreich said they had not. Rav Shimshon asked again, and again the answer was no.

After a while Rav Shimshon called the avreich and became annoyed with him. "Have you not been answered yet? If I do not have to rip the heavens open, and it is extremely difficult, then do not make me do it."

The avreich broke down and told Rav Shimshon that, because they were worried about ayin hora, he and his wife had decided not to tell a living soul that she was expecting. "Rav Shimshon felt that the prayer had been answered," the avreich commented.