"If You Want, He'll Get You There" -By Y.Y. Hodakov
Last Thursday night, after I was done with my local Lag Ba’omer activities and responsibilities, I visited the Ohel.
Last Thursday night, after I was done with my local Lag Ba’omer activities and responsibilities, I visited the Ohel.
(Lag BaOmer is a special day to have prayers heard, especially at a holy site, especially at the resting place of righteous men who continue bringing the teachings and inspiration of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai - whose life we celebrate on Lag Ba’Omer - to the world).
On the way there, I considered how fortunate I have been during the past 16 years, being able to conveniently hop into a car at the end of a day, visit the Rebbe's Ohel, and be back home within a few hours. At the same time, I came to the realization that as I will soon be moving, and I will not be able to come here as easy, or as often.
This was on my mind and weighing heavily on my heart, as I arrived at the Ohel, and was pleasantly surprised to meet "Eli", a friend of mine from Israel.
We "Farbrenged" a bit, and I asked him how he managed to come here so often. He told me that somehow, things work out. In fact, he had not even planned to be here at this time, but - paraphrasing Ezekiel 8:3 - "G-d took me by a lock of my hair, and a wind picked me up between the earth and between the heaven, and it brought me here".
Then, he shared the following story.
Ten members of a community near his were planning to be here for Lag Baomer, to pray at this holy site on this special day. On the Shabbos prior, a festive Kiddush was being hosted in their honor, "to see them off".
Eli attended, and happened to be sitting next to the patron who was subsidizing the trip. At some point in the afternoon, after a few Lechayims, soul-stirring Chassidic melodies, and real camaraderie, the patron turned to him and said, “Eli, I’m sponsoring 10, it may as well be 11. Go along with them, I’ll pay for your trip!”
* * *
I know that it will not be as easy for me to come here once I move. Yet, as Eli’s story reminded me, G-d will always provide us with opportunities to do the things that we want to do, and to be where we want to be.
* * *
For more information about the Ohel, please visit: www.OhelChabad.org
On the way there, I considered how fortunate I have been during the past 16 years, being able to conveniently hop into a car at the end of a day, visit the Rebbe's Ohel, and be back home within a few hours. At the same time, I came to the realization that as I will soon be moving, and I will not be able to come here as easy, or as often.
This was on my mind and weighing heavily on my heart, as I arrived at the Ohel, and was pleasantly surprised to meet "Eli", a friend of mine from Israel.
We "Farbrenged" a bit, and I asked him how he managed to come here so often. He told me that somehow, things work out. In fact, he had not even planned to be here at this time, but - paraphrasing Ezekiel 8:3 - "G-d took me by a lock of my hair, and a wind picked me up between the earth and between the heaven, and it brought me here".
Then, he shared the following story.
Ten members of a community near his were planning to be here for Lag Baomer, to pray at this holy site on this special day. On the Shabbos prior, a festive Kiddush was being hosted in their honor, "to see them off".
Eli attended, and happened to be sitting next to the patron who was subsidizing the trip. At some point in the afternoon, after a few Lechayims, soul-stirring Chassidic melodies, and real camaraderie, the patron turned to him and said, “Eli, I’m sponsoring 10, it may as well be 11. Go along with them, I’ll pay for your trip!”
* * *
I know that it will not be as easy for me to come here once I move. Yet, as Eli’s story reminded me, G-d will always provide us with opportunities to do the things that we want to do, and to be where we want to be.
* * *
For more information about the Ohel, please visit: www.OhelChabad.org
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