The Shabbat Crash

The ambulance had arrived just a moment before I came to the scene while walking back from morning prayers on Shabbat. Our walk home gives us time to reflect on life and to see how much appreciation we owe Hashem for life’s miracles. This Shabbat taught me a huge lesson.
 
It started earlier in the week after coming home from Rav Lazer Brody’s weekly class.  My wife was interested in showing me a new Israeli reality show that she had heard about on the net.  Reluctantly I agreed.  In the show, hidden cameras are set up at a scene.  Actors play roles as if they are in really sad or desperate situations.  For example, one woman acted as a recently evicted woman. On her cell phone, the hidden cameras record her begging for an extension on her rent with her landlord.  The hidden cameras then pick up the reactions of people walking past.  The idea is to see who helps and who walks on.
 
Many offered to help her, including one man who was willing to pay the entire month’s rent on the spot. Unfortunately there were also many people who looked to see what was happening but continued going on their own way.   It was a creative show but I regretted spending the time watching the clip when it could have been put to learning Torah.
 
Flash forward to the following Shabbat morning coming home I saw the terrible aftermath of a car accident near my home.  A two car collision took place at a busy intersection where many observant Jews pass while on their way to prayer services.  As I saw the damage, immediately to my regret, my evil inclination rose in me , “Ya see, that’s what ya’ get for driving on Shabbat!” Almost immediately, my soul slammed on the breaks.  I was now witnessing myself within that same “show.”
 
The victims, both unharmed, stood motionless, cold, scared, and shaken up. Many people looked and carried on as they passed them on their way to synagogue to get to prayers on time.  But no one stood with them to offer help.  Then I realized this is a message from Hashem to learn something from. Had I not seen this show, I too, would have kept walking. But now, with eyes open, it was an opportunity to put my learning into action and help a fellow Jew.
 
One of the first lessons in Rebbe Nachman’s Likutei Moharan is to look for the wisdom, the spark of Hashem in everything we come across.  It was at this moment, that I cracked a smile and realized what this teaching was all about.  A stupid Internet reality show, which I thought was taking away my Torah learning time, was now responsible for me performing a huge mitzvah, outreach.
 
I rushed home to make coffee’s and brought my wife’s famous cookies out to them.  Running down the stairs the coffee spilt and burned my hands only a few times, but the pain was quickly gone when I saw how happy they were that someone made an effort to help them.  They were very appreciative, the woman’s’ eyeliner was all over her face from her tears after the accident. She was about to be taken to the hospital for an X-ray.  Thank G-d they were all going to be OK.
 
It’s easy to judge others, but that isn’t our job down here in this world.  Our rabbis teach us that we are here to learn emuna and spread emuna. As Rav Brody emphasizes, “Judaism is not a competitive sport,” our job is only to work on ourselves.  To see the good in one another.
 
We have to remember that Hashem’s love for us is unconditional, but to truly feel and internalize that we all must be striving for daily reflection on all of His kindness.   Just as Hashem is patient with us, we too need to be patient with each other. It’s our job to look for the good in each other and ourselves.
 
We have to rid ourselves of the mistaken belief that Hashem loves some of his children more than others. For who are we? Even if we are keeping the entire Torah, it is only an act of His love and grace that we merit in doing so. It’s not our own efforts. It’s not about me. It’s about we.
 
Today, the nation of Israel needs each and every one of us, who keep His Torah, to make the effort to bring others closer to emuna.  If you are someone who has tried hitbodedut, and found it challenging, try spending more time praying for others.  Pray for the well-being of Israel, for our spiritual leaders, and that we should all internalize emuna into our hearts and you will see great miracles.