אות - רנב

A certain man who was childless was one of Rabbainu's people. And once he was in the house of Rabbainu, o.b.m., and it was a day when several childless people entered before him and beseeched him to help them. And that man mentioned — one of his people — also entered, and he too requested for children. He replied to him: What is this noise? Is it not the case that the primary offspring of the righteous are good deeds[435] — and this is the essence? Therefore the primary request should be for Jewishness — that you merit to go in the right path, etc. Certainly if it is possible to merit physical children — certainly how good. But the essence is to set one's heart to draw close to Hashem Yisburach — for this is the essential offspring, etc., as mentioned above. And from that time on, that man mentioned stopped pressing him for children and went and engaged only in the service of Hashem as is the way of Rabbainu's people. Afterward again another time Rabbainu was there and childless people also entered before him and beseeched him for children. And that man mentioned from his people no longer opened his mouth to beseech him about this. And Rabbainu, o.b.m., began of his own accord and told him: Even so it is good that you should have children. And told him: Go and bring me a hundred silver rubles, and he went quickly and brought them to him. And that same night was a night of immersion and his wife conceived and she gave birth to a son. May it be His will that they merit to raise him for Torah and for marriage and for good deeds. Amen. 435. RAK: Rashi, Bereishis 6:9.