Renowned for their selfless hospitality and legendary hachnasas orchim, the Machlis family is a paragon of self-sacrifice in generous giving. The kiddush Hashem and positivity radiating from the Machlis home has filled Yerushalayim with light for decades. Each Shabbos, hundreds of guests are welcomed—countless Jews and non-Jews alike have passed through their home, enjoying a Shabbos or Yom Tov seuda. Entering their holy abode, one is greeted with open arms—showered with kindness, nourishment and a deluge of blessings.
A brilliant talmid chacham and beloved teacher of Torah, Rav Mordechai Machlis readily overflows with sage words of encouragement and chizuk to those who approach him. On one occasion, a group gathered in the Machlis home sought his blessings, and the rav readily complied with all their personal requests—blessing them one by one for good health, happiness, shalom bayis, parnassa and the fulfillment of every need.
One of the petitioners, a middle-aged gentleman, asked for blessing for success. Rav Machlis asked him what he did for a living. It turned out he was a pediatric oncologist trained to address the rarest, most intensive cases of childhood cancer. Rav Machlis was at a loss for words. How could he bless the visitor for “success?” If he prayed that the doctor should have an abundance of parnassa from his work, it would be like asking for more children to be in dire need of his medical specialty, chas v’shalom…
Suddenly, there was a sparkle in Rav Machlis’s eyes. “I bless us that there should be no more illness, no more sickness in the world,” he exclaimed. “Everyone should be healthy—and except for birthing centers, may there be no need for hospitals! Your field of expertise should become obsolete—just a faint memory. Then, people all over the world should pay you generously to come and speak, sharing your remarkable story of being part of that strange historical phenomenon that once was called ‘pediatric oncology.’”
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וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה׃ וַאֲבָרֲכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה׃
“I will make you a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse him that curses you;
And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you,” (12:1-3).
Chazal relate that the wise and righteous Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa had a special koach and skill in praying for the sick. When Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai’s son fell seriously ill, he turned to his student and cried, “Chanina, pray for my child so that he may live!” Chanina ben Dosa promptly placed his head between his knees, davened for Hashem’s mercy and the boy recovered (Brachos, 34b).
“Every day, a voice goes out from Chorev and declares: כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ נִזּוֹנִין בִּשְׁבִיל חֲנִינָא בְּנִי—‘All the world is nourished bishvil Chanina!’” (Brachos, 17b). While the peshat, the simple meaning of “bishvil” is “for the sake of,” the Baal Shem Tov, zt”l, says, “shvil” can also be translated as “path” or “pipeline.” Reb Chanina’s prayers and blessings opened a channel or path for Hashem’s outpouring of shefa, bounty, goodness and blessing. All the world was nourished and blessed through the spiritual “pipeline” of Rabbi Chanina.
Rashi comments on our pasuk (12:2): וֶֽהְיֵה בְּרָכָֽה. הַבְּרָכוֹת נְתוּנוֹת בְּיָדְךָ; עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיוּ בְיָדִי, בֵּרַכְתִּי לְאָדָם וְנֹחַ, וּמֵעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ אֶת אֲשֶׁר תַּחְפֹּץ—“And you shall be a blessing: ‘The blessings are entrusted into your hand. Until now, they were in My hand; I blessed Adam and Noach. From now on, you may bless whomever you wish!’” How did Avraham Avinu and Rabbi Chanina merit to bless others?
טוב עין הוא יבורך—“One with a good eye will be blessed,” (Mishlei, 22:9). Alternatively translated, this pasuk reveals, “One with a good eye should be the one to bless.” To bestow a blessing upon another, we need to see, acknowledge and affirm their worthiness. We honor them by seeing what they need and sharing our hopes and prayers for their wellbeing. Implicit in blessing is being “tov ayin—with an eye to the good,” with respect for the other person and an appreciation of their goodness.
Indeed, the Mirrer Mashgiach, Reb Yerucham Levovitz, zt”l, teaches that the effectiveness of one’s blessing depends on one’s selflessness, magnanimity and ayin tova. Their “pipeline” is open to the extent that they see the good in—and truly desire the wellbeing of—another. Thus, the source of Avraham Avinu and Rebbi Chanina’s “powers” was none other than their total selflessness, and this is how they merited to become conduits of blessing for the whole world.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says that Avraham Avinu wore a medallion with a precious jewel with healing powers, and anyone suffering illness who gazed at it was immediately cured (Bava Basra, 16b). The tzaddik Rebbe Moshe of Kubrin, zt”l, asserts that this jewel was not “magic,” rather its koach was rooted in the trait that Avraham himself exemplified—great chesed, kindness to others. Furthermore, Avraham bequeathed to each of us this ability to bless, uplift and heal others. Whenever a Jew engages in selfless kindness, practices hospitality and blesses others heartfully, he or she awakens the healing power of Avraham. And this is how anyone, even “all the families of the earth,” can merit to bless themselves through Avraham.
May we open our hearts in selfless kindness, and our eyes to see the good. May we open the gates of blessing, healing and salvation for all of Am Yisrael and all the good people of the world. And let all our troubles and tzaros, illness and pain, become but faded memories—relegated to history books and tellers of ancient tales.
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In honor of the yahrtzeit this week of our great teacher, Rebbetzin Henny Machlis, a”h.
Rabbi Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the mashpiah of OU-NCSY, founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of “Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva.” Rabbi Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.
