Chaven’u, the mother of the Ruzhiner, came to the Rabbi of Apta when the Ruzhiner started wearing tefillin (phylacteries). She informed him of the prayer schedule of the Rabbi of Apta and urged him to be punctual. However, on the day that the Ruzhiner was supposed to start wearing tefillin, he woke up very early, put on tefillin, and prayed alone. When the Rabbi of Apta set himself up to pray, they searched for the Ruzhiner but absolutely could not find him. Eventually, he returned home and his mother asked, “Where have you been?” When he explained that he had already prayed and worn tefillin, his mother became fearful that the Rabbi of Apta would be upset. However, when she recounted that her son already put on [tefillin], he simply said, “Let’s see how you prayed,” and he touched his forehead, saying, “Yes, yes, you have donned tefillin well.”
Y.F.
Mekhele Shokhet
