Planting Seeds

By Zalmy Margolin

In the beginning of Shaar Hayichud, (which Nosson koched in,) the Alter Rebbe explains that the name of any given thing is its Mahus. This is seen very clearly by Nosson, with his name Nosson, (giving,) and Nota, (planting.)
That is who Nosson was, a person who was always giving, and always planting. Giving of his time, his knowledge, his talents, and just giving himself. He was always planting his strong drive for learning into the bochurim of the Yeshiva here in Miami.
We were always able to see that it truly bothered him when a bochur was not learning, and that he was not just trying to do his job. For this, he would go on Mesiras Nefesh, saying, "OK, so maybe I will be a little annoying to someone right this second by nudging him to learn." But the main thing is, someone should motivate the bochur to learn.
Perhaps we did not notice it at the time, but this was truly a planting, which will now bear fruit as we dedicate ourselves to learning with greater fervor.
Nosson did not need 70, 80 years just to do a favor for another. Rather, in his short life, that was exactly what he did and who he was, constantly. May it be the will of Hashem that all pain and sorrow come to a very swift end, and we should merit the coming of Moshiach right NOW together with Nosson and all Jews.