The Rabbi That Gets Gangsters To Do TeShuva

is a gangster in Natana, very very famous gangster. So much so that he was uh you know like one of the uh let's just call it one of the equivalent of my boss and uh he decided one day that uh he wants to start learn so he went to a uh Ashkenazi bet midash and he sat there and the rabbi was looking at this guy he's not exactly uh he doesn't look like a bahua It's big. It's intimidating. He says, "Can I help you?" He goes, "Yeah. You're my rabbi. You teach me Torah." No, no, no. I'm a rabbi. He goes, "You're my rabbi. You teach me Torah." "No, no. You're my rabbi. You teach me Torah." The rabbi understood, "Okay, I don't have much of a choice. Okay, this guy's gonna eat me." Sat there and they started learning. He didn't understand what he's saying. Why? because he was like a safari guy and the the rabbi was ashkinazi and they have a certain uh way to communicate that wasn't exactly uh uh understood. [snorts] After a couple of days, he realized it's not for me. Let me go somewhere else. Let me go find. So, he went to the Tanya and uh brother Fry was there. He was visiting and uh he starts asking him questions. He he starts telling him things and long story short, he starts learning at the bet midash over there and uh he starts doing chuva. Now doing chuva when you're a gangster is different than doing chuva if you were just you know you grew up secular in America because if you grew up secular in America okay the worst thing that happens is you know you have to maybe break up a relationship change a job but overall it's that's pretty much it not there that's not such a huge drastic life change but if you grow up if you're a gangster you know the record comes with you so this guy [snorts] he starts doing chuva he starts keeping Shabbat, starts praying, starts doing good things. Then he comes to he sees Rab Fry again. He says, "I don't know what I'm going to do. There's a case against me now. If I lose this case, I'm going to jail for like 30 years." He says, "Continue." He told him, "Continue learning. Continue good things. Hashem will will help you." He says, "Oh, I'm already doing for a couple years, but nobody wants to marry me because of, you know, everybody knows who I am." says, "Don't worry. Just keep going. Keep going. Keep going." Several months later, the uh the guy is sticking to it. He's praying everything. Robert Fry is over there studying and the guy um is uh is about to he he's standing over there and this like nasty old man comes into the sh and he's like part of the community but he's like one of these old men that's like nasty like they're just angry at the world just happens sometimes they're angry at everything and uh this guy this big guy was in his way like he wanted to get through and he was in his way, but this guy's huge." And the old man got so angry, he started yelling at him and pushed him. Now, something happened, even though he's like 15 times his size, that he lost his balance and he fell. The big huge mobster fell like and everybody was there. Everyone at that moment like it became silent. Everyone realized, okay, there's blood is going to be spilled here like this is the end. This is what happens. You you know, you don't do that. Even the old man because everyone knew this guy is a serious guy. He's not uh the old man realized he made a mistake but he didn't have anything to say. What are you going to say? The former gangster sees himself on the floor, gets up, comes up to the old man. He says, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was in your way. Can you please forgive me?" Everyone was shocked that this happened. Everyone thought there was going to be blood spilled. This is what he did for a living. Just make this guy into a shakshuka. Put some uh some seasoning on it. Finished. But no, instead he apologizes to the old man. And the old man says, "Sure, sure." Just give me a hug. Gives him a hug. That's it. Finished. He goes back to his spot. One of the guys comes up to Robert Fry. He goes, "Did you see that? See what happened?" Says, "Yeah." I saw says, "What do you think?" Says, "Not what I think. I know that that guy, he's going to have major Yeshua this year. Major things are going to happen for him. You'll see. And that year the case against them for 30 years or whatever dropped. They just decided that they don't care about it anymore. Got married, had kids, literally life transformed completely. Till this day he learns to he's like if you see him today you don't think he's gangster or nothing. He's a big guy still guy. But see this guy is sadik. How simple. He decided it's time for me to change. And gave him a test after test after test after test to the point where it could be a breaking point. When he passed that breaking point test, Hashem says, "Now that you really overcame what you used to be, all of those prayers that you prayed, I'm going to answer all of them all in one shot." So this is how chuva works for some people where sometimes people get major blessings right away and then there's like a uh you know like almost like a uh a time of silence and then more sometimes people get nothing for a while. There's a lot of tests and then they get a lot but it's a it's a different process that Hashem puts everybody through through their life. One thing is for sure is that doesn't forget anyone. If you're seeing in your life that things are going in the right direction, thank Hashem for it non-stop. If you think if you're seeing that things are going in the wrong direction, also thanks thank Hashem. But also pray to Hashem to show you what can you do better. If you don't know yourself, ask Hashem. Pray to Hashem. Say, "What can I do better? Can I learn more? Can I give more? Can I do more? What can I do better?" Usually, if you really, if you're serious about it, Hashem will give you the answer. You'll get the answer of what you do. either your wife is going to tell you or your husband's going to tell you or someone is gonna Hashem is going to send you a message. It's not going to be like a prophecy where you hear a voice, Steve, you need to do. No, you're not going to get that. You're not going to get that that voice. That's that's only in the movies. But you're going to get the message. Hashem is going to send you the message. And sometimes the message is an old man that pushes you because you're in his way. Because your final test is to overcome anger even when you're right. Overcome anger when you're right about being angry. Overcoming anger when you're wrong about angry, you know, it's not a big deal. You shouldn't be angry if you're wrong about it. But to overcome anger when you're right about being angry, if you could do that, then you best test. Then you best test. That's that's the big things happen. If you ever see somebody get embarrassed in public and they pass the test and they don't respond, go ask them for a blessing. Says uh that a person that gets embarrassed in public and they don't respond in a negative way where they don't take it offense to it. You asking for a blessing whatever they give you a blessing it'll come true that year. There's certain people that keep the RVski they couldn't have kids and uh Kyvki usually would give people blessings but he said to a specific case he says you need a blessing of somebody that got embarrassed in public. How you going to find somebody? He says pray for it. Hashem will send it to you. They went to some type of uh wedding and uh as you would have it the uh it was either the bride or the groom was publicly shamed in front of everyone by the other side's family like you know just like like the parents-in-law from hell. That's what happened. So this it was either the bride got embarrassed in public or the groom was embarrassed in public. I don't remember exactly the details but one of them for sure like embarrassed like the worst thing in the world and they didn't respond. As soon as that happened the uh the person please please give me a blessing. Now of course this person is like trying to collect themselves of what just happened here. Please give me a blessing. Says me give you a blessing please give me a blessing. They gave him a bing had kids that year. Why? because the that person that that overcame it elevated them to such a point where whatever comes out of their mouth is fulfills. So it's uh it's it's not easy though. Don't don't try this at home. [music]