Community Magazine January 2019

70 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE T he emails to the Mitzvah Man Organization are regular and constant. One day the Mitzvah Man received an email from a woman named Rachel. Rachel wrote as follows: I have a seven-year-old autistic son. On Shabbat he plays video games and watches television. It bothers me that he does not keep Shabbat the way I would like him to. I cannot pressure him or take away his only enjoyment on Shabbat, so I look the other way. He has no friends. Maybe the Mitzvah Man Organization can send some boys to spend time with my son on Shabbat? The Mitzvah Man replied in an email to Rachel. We do have some teenage volunteers and I will be able to send a few boys to play permissible games with your son on Shabbat. After receiving more details, the volunteers were sent the following Shabbat and three weeks later the Mitzvah Man received a very heartwarming email from Rachel. I Prayed to Hashem to Make My Child Become Shomer Shabbat PNINA S. SOUID The three angels (14-year-old Mitzvah Man volunteers) the organization has been sending have been a Gd-send. My son plays Scrabble and checkers and other fun games with these boys. In fact, my son has not watched television or played video games in three weeks! I nonchalantly asked my son today, “Why don’t you play video games or watch television on Shabbat? Don’t you miss it?” His reply had me in tears. “My three new Shabbat friends explained to me that we are not supposed to watch television or play video games on Shabbat. I want to listen to them and keep Shabbat. Besides, I’m enjoying playing other games with them on Shabbat.” Rachel told the Mitzvah Man, “I prayed to Hashem that ALL my children keep Shabbat. Hashem has now answered my prayer and all my children are shomer Shabbat ! I love Hashem for making my dreams (prayers) come through.” From the Files of the Mitzvah Man Hesed Stories WWW.MITZVAH-MAN.ORG OR CALL 866-355-1825