COMMUNITY MAGAZINE April 2021

36 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Shelomo, a Mitzvah Man volunteer, wanted to do a special out of the box hesed for Purim. The Mitzvah Man director put him in contact with a rabbi who regularly visits hospital patients and prisoners. The Mitzvah Man suggested the volunteer ask the rabbi if he would arrange a visit with a Jewish prisoner. It would be a big mitzvah to bring along mishloah manot and sit with the prisoner and give him hizuk (words of encouragement). The way was cleared for Shelomo to go to the high-security prison and on Purim he went to meet Harold, a Jewish man sentenced to 25 years in prison. Shelomo arrived at the drab prison building and was directed to Harold, who was delighted to have a visitor. Shelomo and Harold sat together talking. Harold told Shelomo that a rabbi comes every week to give a Torah class and he enjoys the learning immensely. Harold looked at Shelomo and said, “I must tell you a story. Listen to what happened to me.” Every week I get a delivery from outside the prison of a carton of cigarettes. I look forward to it. Having these cigarettes alleviates some of the pressure and anxiety that I feel in prison. One day, one of the meaner, menacing prisoners comes over to me and says, ‘From now on these cigarettes are mine – OR ELSE.’ I was petrified. This man just threatenedmy life for aweekly carton of cigarettes. The cigarettes that I looked forward to would be no more. The next time the rabbi came I told him what happened and asked himhow I should handle this situation. Very simply, the rabbi told me, ‘Take upon yourself the observance of two mitzvot.’ Okay. Two mitzvot. I said that I would put on tefillin each weekday and that I would recite the beracha ‘ Asher Yatzar’ when applicable. Only one week later I had news. I told the rabbi, ‘You are not going to believe this! The scary prisoner was trying to put himself on fire in his cell and was placed in solitary confinement.’ I thought, great! But what happens when he comes out of his solitary confinement! The rabbi encouraged me to continue keeping the two mitzvot. One week later, I had even better news. This guy was transferred to another prison! Shelomo was overwhelmed by this story. It was obvious to him that Harold was not religious, although perhaps he once was. It seems like Harold was not a tzaddik , as he had been found guilty of a crime that merited a long prison sentence. However, his commitment to observe two mitzvot on a consistent basis gave him a special zechut and Divine protection from a difficult situation. 30 Community magazine The Mitzvah Man organization is always on the lookout for how to bring joy to any Jew in need. And what better time to bring extra joy than during Sukkot, one of the happiest t me 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 their 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 rev Sukkot , after all the deliveries were made and the sukkot were set up, the Mitzvah Man received a text. e could not get to it i mediately, and thirty minutes later he opened it. It read: “Hi Mitzvah Man, my husband is in the sukkah store and wants to donate two brand new sukkot.” The Mitzvah Man r turned the call as soon as he could, telling the woman wh texted, Mrs. S.: “ Baruch Hashem , we just gave away all the 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 delivered and installed an hour before the hag 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 , the Divine Providence, of our Creator. We could say that it was just another day, anoth r 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 never 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, stanc s often do not permit for some f milies 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 heir own sukkah. rev Sukkot , after all the deliveries were made and kkot were set up, the Mitzvah 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 could, 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 in mind as it does 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 point sband is returning from the store which is quite a ce from us, and I on’t think that h 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 turn 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 th holiday joy these two experienced – at the very last minute! Their b sukkot were delivered and installed an hour befo by the hesed loving Mitzvah Man volunteers. Th Man rganiza ion 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 Man never ceases to be amaz hashgacha pratit he experiences on a constant he always ays, “When one has the desire to do another, the Bore Olam helps them along.” rprise www.mitzvah-man.org or call 866-355-1825 In the Zechut of Two Mitzvot “…his commitment to observe two mitzvot on a consistent basis gave him a sp cial zechut and Divine protection from a difficult situation.”