COMMUNITY MAGAZINE March 2021

28 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE The Mitzvah Man was listening to a class delivered by Rabbi Meyer Yedid, during which the rabbi told a famous story of a man who asked the Bet Halevi (Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk, 1820-1892) if he could use milk instead of wine for the cups at the seder on Pesach. Rather than answer the question, the Bet Halevi handed the man an envelope containing a large amount of money. The man clarified that he had come to ask a halachic question, not to request charity. But the Bet Halevi insisted that he take the money, which he could, if he so wished, consider a loan instead of charity. After the man left, the Rebbetzin asked why the rabbi gave this fellow such a large amount of money. After all, just a few rubles would have sufficed to enable him to buy wine. The Bet Halevi replied, “If this man was asking such a question, then he must have no food to feed his family and no money to buy them clothes and shoes for the holiday.” The Mitzvah Man compared the Bet Halevi to Avraham Avinu, who was able to look deeply and see what a person really needed. Whereas most people just see the surface, great people like Avraham and Bet Halevi see beyond the surface and truly understand each individual’s plight. The Mitzvah Man told me that this class brought to mind an incident that took place eight years ago. A Hassidic gentleman, Rabbi Schwartz, came to him and said he needed a car. “It is hard for me to ask for this,” Rabbi Schwartz said, “but I need a car for my livelihood. I am not able to keep a regular job because I must care for my family. My wife is not well. She is in the hospital. Two of my children are autistic and are currently in separate hospitals. I travel to three hospitals a day and take care of the children at home and collect charity. A car would be a life saver.” The Mitzvah Man told Rabbi Schwartz that he would see what he could do. Sure enough, he managed to find a car for him, and Rabbi Schwartz was very grateful. But the Mitzvah Man realized that this family needed a lot more than a car. He turned to Rabbi Schwartz and asked, “What else do you need?” “What else do I need?!” the man responded, incredulously. “What do you mean? You just gave me a car!” The Mitzvah Man repeated, “What else do you need?” “We have a wedding coming up,” Rabbi Schwartz said. “My wife and daughter need wedding gowns.” The Mitzvah Man was able to get two new wedding gowns. Again, the Mitzvah Man asked Rabbi Schwartz, “What else can I do for you?” Rabbi Schwartz told him that his wife and the bride need wigs. The Mitzvah Man got to work and obtained wigs. The Mitzvah Man persisted, “What else? You have a large family.” Rabbi Schwartz sighed and said, “Baruch Hashem, we are making another simha – my son is becoming bar mitzvah. It looks like he’ll have to borrow tefillin every day.” “Absolutely not!” said the Mitzvah Man. “We will get him new tefillin .” And he did. “What else can we do for you?” The family needed furniture – a couch, a kitchen table, and chairs. They needed shades for the windows, and food for the upcoming holiday of Pesah. Mitzvah Man took care of it all. All this was accomplished because the Mitzvah Man learned that you must look deeper into the situation. And when he looked deeper, he realized that Rabbi Schwartz and his family needed more than a car. As the Mitzvah Man explained: “When someone needs help, we have to put ourselves in that person’s shoes.” The Mitzvah Man told me another story of a young man who started going to his shul. He would walk in on Shabbat with a ponytail, wearing an earring, a sweater, and jeans. The Mitzvah Man went over to greet him. “Nice to see you,” he said. The Mitzvah Man told his friends to go over and greet this fellow so he would feel comfortable. The man started attending more frequently, and gradually began dressing more appropriately. “We have to look deeper,” the Mitzvah Man reflects. “We must let ourselves feel what the person is going through. We must look beyond the surface and ask the first question – ‘How can I help you?’ – and then go further and ask: ‘What else do you need?’” 30 Community magazine The Mitzvah Man organization is always on the lookout for how to bring joy to any Jew in need. And what b tter time to bring extra joy than during Sukkot, ne of the happiest times in the Jewish calendar! In fact, the Mishna in Tractate Sukkah tells us that one who never saw the simha (joy) at the Place of the Water-Drawing (the Simhat Beit HaShoeva in the Beit HaMikdash ) has never seen joy in his life. Many sukkot adorn the front and back yards and terraces of the neighborhoods in our community. However, circumstances often do not permit for some families to have their own sukkah, even if there is room for one on thei property. Enter the Mitzvah Man. To help families to perform the mitzva of residing in their sukkot, this year the Mitzvah Man organization delivered 27 brand new sukkot to families that never before had their own sukkah. On erev Sukkot , after all the deliveries were made and the sukkot were set up, the Mitzvah Man received a text. He could not get to it immediately, and thirty minutes lat r he opened it. It read: “Hi Mi zvah Man, my husband is in t e sukkah store and wants to donate two brand new sukkot.” The Mitzvah Man returned t e call as soon as he could, telli g e w man who texted, Mr . S.: “ Baruch Hashem , we just g ve away all t e brand new sukkot that we had requests for. However, I will keep you in mind as it does happen that we get additional requests. But right now I have no one to give the sukkot to. Hashem sees your heart. We will stay in touch.” “Please do,” answered Mrs. S., “however, at this point my husband is returning from the store which is quite a distance from us, and I don’t think that he will be going back. Certainly not on erev Sukkot .” The Mitzvah Man got off the phone with Mrs. S. about 2pm. One hour later, he received two additional calls. These calls were requests for sukkot for two families that never had sukkot of their own before. What a shame the calls had not come in an hour or two earlier! the Mitzvah Man thought. Then, Mr. S. could have bought those two sukkot he was willing to donate, and these families would be all set. Sadly, the Mitzvah Man told the callers he did not have more sukkot to distribute, but he would definitely keep them in mind. At 3:30pm, the Mitzvah Man received a text from Mrs. S. As it turned out, when Mr. S. opened the box he brought home from the store containing his sukkah, he saw that a couple of items had not been put into the package. He was about to go straight back to the store and was still willing to buy those two new sukkot he had offered to donate. Just imagine the holiday joy these two families experienced – at the very last minute! Their brand new sukkot were d livered and installed an hour before the h g by the hesed loving Mitzvah Man volunteers. The Mitzvah Man organization always goes the extra mile to do hesed ! Everyone involved in this special mitzvah was amazed by the hashgacha pratit , th Divi e Providence, of our Creator. We could say that it was just another day, another story for the Mitzvah Man organization, but our rabbis say it better – missva goreret missva . One mitzvah causes another mitzvah to happen. The Mitzvah Man ever ceases to be amazed by the hashgacha pratit he experiences on a constant basis and he always says, “When one has the desire to do hesed for another, the Bore Olam helps them along.” From the Files of the MitzvahMan The Sukkah Surprise www.mitzvah-man.org or call 866-355-1825 Front 2020-12.indd 30 11/3/2020 7:27:41 PM Community magazine Mitzvah Man organiz tion is always on the lookout w to bring joy to any Jew in need. And what better o bring extra joy than during Sukkot, one of the st times in the Jewish calendar! In fact, the Mishna tate Sukkah tells us that one who never saw the ( joy) at the Place of the Water-Drawing (the Simhat aShoeva in the Beit HaMikdash ) has never seen joy ife. y sukkot adorn the front and back yards and terraces e neighborhoods in our community. However, stances oft n do not ermit for some families to heir own sukkah, even if there is room for one on roperty. r the Mitzvah Man. To help families to perform the of residing in their sukkot, this year the Mitzvah rganization delivered 27 brand new sukkot to s that never before had their own sukkah. rev Sukkot , after all the deliveries were made and kkot ere et up, the Mitzv h Man received a tex . uld not get to it immediately, and thirty minutes e opened it. It read: “Hi Mitzvah Man, my husband he sukkah store and wants to donate two brand kkot.” Mitzvah Man returned the call as soon as he co ld, the woman who texted, Mrs. S.: “ Bar ch Hashem , t gave away all the brand new sukkot that we had ts for. However, I will keep you n mind as it do s n that we get additional reques s. But right now I o one to give the sukkot to. Hashem sees your heart. ll stay in touch.” ase do,” answered Mrs. S., “however, at this p int sband is returni g from the store which is quite a ce from us, and I don’t think that he will be going ertainly not on erev Sukkot .” The Mitzvah Man got off the phone with Mrs 2pm. One hour later, he received two additio These calls were requests for sukkot for two fa never had sukkot of their own before. What a shame the calls had not come in an ho earlier! the Mitzvah Man thought. Then, Mr. S. c bought thos two sukk t he was willing to do these families would be all set. Sadly, the Mit told the callers he did not have more sukkot to but he would defi itely keep them in mind. At 3:30pm, the Mitzvah Man received a text fro As it urn d out, when Mr. S. opened the box h home from the store containing his sukkah, he s couple of items had not been put into the packag about to go straight back to the store and was s to buy those two new sukkot he had offered to d Just imagine the holiday joy these two experienced – at the very last minute! Their b sukkot were delivered and installe an h ur befo by the hesed loving Mitzvah Man volunteers. Th Man organization always goes the extra mile to Everyone involved in this special mitzvah wa by the hashgacha pratit , the Divine Provi our Creator. We could ay that it was just another day story for the Mitzvah Man organization, but o say it better – missva goreret missva . One mitzv another mitzvah to happen. The Mitzvah Ma never ceases to be amaz has gacha pratit he experiences on a con ant he always says, “When one has the desire to do another, the Bore Olam helps them along.” rprise www.mitzvah-man.org or call 866-355-1825 “WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?” PNINA SOUID