Dumb Luck

Several hours after the Yahrzeit of my grandfather (my Zaidy) ob”m, I had a memorable test of emuna. Many of the tests that I have experienced are reminders of two very important attributes that G-d cherishes, and so must we. These two attributes are: Gratitude and finding the good in every situation (i.e., the silver lining even if it’s very thin). If we keep these two attributes in mind at all times, we can save ourselves untold wake-up reminders as well as suffering. As long as we know that pain has a purpose, we will not suffer from it.

Gratitude and Joy under trying circumstances are two very significant components of emuna. Gratitude comes from remembering not to complain even if things do not go as we plan and to never lose hope that G-d will help us, evidenced by saying thank you even for the seemingly not so good. Rabbi Lazer Brody reminds us that saying thank you has the power to summon miracles. Joy is the consequence of seeing the good, of living in the moment, and of finding the silver lining in difficult situations. If we can live with a deep understanding of how much Hashem wants us to incorporate these two attributes into our daily lives and give up the incessant complaining and criticizing that has been our stigma for generations, it would not be so necessary for Him to remind us as often. Criticism and complaints go against the truth of Ein Od Milvado—that everything we experience has G-d hidden within it. We dare not criticize nor complain against the kindness of the One Above.

I lit the candle for my Zaidy, Lazer (Eliezer) ben Ephraim, at sundown on Thursday, June 29^th, the 5^th of Tammuz 5777. I said a little prayer for him to protect me and all the members of my family. Then we went to visit our daughter, who had given birth to a beautiful baby boy four days earlier. We spent some time there and returned home at about 10:30 in the evening. The week had been exhausting, and being so fatigued, I flopped down on the bed for what I thought would be just a few minutes to take the edge off before praying the Bedtime Shema and preparing to go to sleep for the night. However, I conked out immediately when my head hit the pillow. My husband, probably smiling as he witnessed me lying there, went to the next room to daven (pray) so as not to awaken me. He, being the considerate person that he is, upon finishing, walked down the dimly lit upstairs hall and did not put on any lights that might disturb me. Without realizing it, he walked down the hallway dangerously close to the staircase, took a misstep, and fell down three stairs, breaking his fall with his right leg in a twisted position, and catching himself by clutching the metal beneath the banister. By the grace of G-d he did not tumble down the full fifteen steps to the hard floor entryway below.

As he soon realized that any movement caused excruciating hip pain rendering him immobile, and after somehow managing to pull himself up to the landing, he had no choice but to call out, “Lori, I can’t move. I’m in terrible pain.” Out of a deep sleep, fully clothed, I rushed to determine what was going on. Viewing this as a definite emergency, I called 911. An ambulance arrived within minutes, and then began the painful process of lifting him onto a stretcher and then transferring him to a gurney. Any movement of the injured hip caused tremendous discomfort.

So what good could come from this? Where was the silver lining? At the moment, none of this was obvious, but having taken to heart all of Rabbi Shalom Arush’s teachings that Rabbi Lazer Brody passes on to us, I knew we both had to have emuna that everything would turn out for the best. There was no value in feeling desperate, in losing hope, nor in looking at the dark side. We needed to believe that Hashem would help us. As I prepared to leave for the hospital, I noticed my Zaidy’s candle still burning, so I prayed to Hashem that He allow him to be an intercessor for my husband so that he could attend the upcoming bris of our newest grandson. Then I put on my spiritual sensors, did some positive self-talk, and followed the ambulance to the nearest hospital.

As it was dark, past one in the morning at this point, I parked in the lot that was not the closest one to the emergency entrance. There seemed to be no one to help me, so, as I approached a closed door, there appeared out of nowhere a single person, a man who pointed me in the right direction. What was the likelihood of me finding a person to show the way? My spiritual sensor told me he was sent by Hashem. I thanked the messenger and Hashem for the reassurance of knowing how to get to the emergency room quickly. I knew, for sure, everything would turn out well as I davened that my husband should not need surgery, especially with an upcoming bris that I so wanted him to attend.

After a dose of morphine, the nurse prepared my husband for an x-ray of the affected hip. The doctor on call diagnosed the condition as a dislocated hip in which the bone twisted out of its sock on the right side. He was confident he and his team could push it into place without surgery! He told my husband to be sure to make an appointment with orthopedics. “Coincidentally”, my husband already had an appointment for another issue with that department. The doctor responded, “Wow! Two instances of what the world calls ‘dumb luck’- and what emuna calls hashgacha pratis or Divine Providence! First no broken bones (how lucky you are), and you already have an appointment with orthopedics. That’s pretty awesome under the circumstances.”

After the anesthesiologist administered the drug to induce twilight sleep, the successful repositioning of the hip bone in the socket was performed, Baruch Hashem. Appreciation must be expressed to both Hashem and His messenger, in this case, the doctor on call. When we appreciate that Hashem does everything—the good and the seemingly not so good—for our very best and when we thank on both, we demonstrate complete and total emuna, which is the truth behind the façade of “dumb luck”.

Our gratitude to Hashem was immeasurable. Only three days after the fall, he was doing well and walking unattended—a true miracle given the intensity of the fall and of the initial pain. I’m confident that my husband will continue to adjust his priorities to do G-d’s will and keep Him close. As for me, the power of emuna cannot be overemphasized. Hashem is my shelter, and He is before me always. There is no room for negative emotions in Hashem’s world because He does everything for the very best.

This incident reinforced our belief and trust in the kindness of the Almighty and His magnificent Divine Providence. Thank You, Hashem!