The story of a Rabbi Applebaum from Bnei Brak is heartwarming and is touching hearts as it makes its way across the chareidi world.
Having been married twice but never zoche to have children, Rabbi Applebaum – who will turn 72 in several months – didn’t give up. A friend of Rabbi Applebaum searched for a shidduch for him, not an easy task considering his age. However, with much perseverance, this friend found a woman, a divorcee in her fifties, who he thought might be an appropriate shidduch. The two met and the match was made.
Only after the engagement, however, was it discovered that this women had never had children. (Apparently, she had raised children in her home and they shared her last name, but they weren’t her children from birth. Hence the confusion.)
On the day of their wedding, Rabbi Applebaum went to Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman. “What is going to be with my Kaddishel? Who is going to say Kaddish for me?” Rabbi Applebaum cried, expressing the pain that existed in his heart for decades.
Rav Shteinman responded that he’d be zoche to be the father of a baby boy. Rav Shteinman wished him mazel tov and that the wedding should be beshaah tovah umitzlachas.
Rav Applebaum got married to his third wife amidst great joy.
A year and a half later, this week, Rabbi Applebaum and wife just celebrated the birth – of twins.
This coming Shabbos, Rabbi Applebaum will be making a shalom zachor at his home in the Naot Yosef neighborhood.
May he and his wife have much nachas.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
Wow, wow, wow! May they have much much nachas.
Having twins at the age of 72 is no picnic, I wish both of the Applebaum’s a mazal tov & may they have sufficient coach to deal with this brocho.
Mazal Tov!
It is a mitzvah (pru u’rvu) to marry a young woman, even if the husband is elderly.
what a lesson, NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Didnt harav Steinman pasken that every bochur should only marry a girl of his age?:
Than you wonder why there is a Shidduch crisis!
Mazel Tov! We are joyous that you didn’t give up! Maybe it be a blessing for all of klal Yisroel. –The Roth family at The Eden Palace.
May the Aibershter bensh them with the kochos they will need. Imagine- making a bar mitzvah at age 85, chasunah at 92…
ccr: This is in Bnai Brak! He’ll only be 90 at the chasunas! 🙂
There seem to be more nissim ve’niflo’os in Eretz Yisroel during the past couple of years.
Or is it just that I was not aware of things that have always been happening there?
MA NOMAR – MA N”DABAIR!!!
Wow hashem should bentch them with lots of nachas from these kinder
#5 you don’t have something better to say?
Mazel Tov
Dear #12 I love comment #5 he is spreading simcha… Besides harav Steinman paskened that every bochur should only marry a girl of his age this Yid is not a Bachur and is thus exempt from this Takana.
Its good to have babies at 75. If the babies cry at night, you can turn the hearing aid down.
Whats the big deal ? Avraham Avinu was older and when sara laughed she got punished. So to all of you laughing I would not laugh because g-d always has last laugh.
The chasam sofer was also (over) 70 when he gave birth to his first child which was btw also not his first wife.