As I was leaving Ohr Somayach after my most recent visit about a month ago one of the veteran rebbeim mentioned to me that Rabbi Mendel Weinbach ztz”l had been in the office that morning. I quickly ran back to the office hoping to catch a few minutes with Rav Mendel.
The last time I had seen him was a few months earlier when he gave the opening address at the English-language Siyum HaShas. He was barely recognizable at the time as a consequence of the treatments he was undergoing. But the voice was every bit as powerful and impassioned as I remembered from my days in Ohr Somayach 33 years ago.
Though we knew that Rav Mendel had been battling the dreaded disease for some years it was evident that night despite the power of his speech that he was very sick. So it was with some urgency that I ran back to Ohr Somayach. But the secretary told me that Rav Mendel had left for the day. I made a note to call the next day but never did.
How many reminders do we need to learn one of life’s most important lessons: If you owe someone hakaras hatov tell them for you may not have another chance?
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