Community Magazine July 2021

40 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE People approach the Mitzvah Man organization every day looking for help. Recently, a Mitzvah Man volunteer we’ll call Rabbanit C., was helping an elderly woman named Rina who was living in a shelter. Due to the horrible conditions at the shelter, Rabbanit C. and others concerned for Rina were working on finding her an apartment and providing the basics needed for her to move in. Rabbanit C. said that they finally found a suitable place for Rina, but it was a bare apartment. All Rina was asking for was a second-hand bed to sleep in. Just having an apartment of her own with a place to lay her head would be a huge improvement over living at the shelter. Mitzvah Man asked Rabbanit C., “Certainly Rina needs more than this. She has an entire apartment to furnish!” Rabbanit C. replied, “Rina will be happy with the bed. She is a very humble woman and is embarrassed to ask for any help at all.” “I will send out a text message to my volunteers and will let you know the results,” answered the Mitzvah Man. The Mitzvah Man followed through right away, sending a text to all his volunteers explaining the situation and requesting a used bed. Almost immediately responses from the Mitzvah Man volunteers started coming in. One volunteer replied that he is ordering Rina a new bed right now. The next volunteer said that he spoke with Rina personally, and confirmed that her apartment is completely empty. “I am ordering her a chair, table, and a desk to ship today, and I told her that if she needs anything else to please call me,” he told the Mitzvah Man. The third volunteer said that since Rina just came out of a shelter, she must need some food to start her off. He offered to donate $500 worth of food. A fourth volunteer very thoughtfully added his contribution, “I am sending new sheets, pillows, blankets, and other bedding to keep her comfortable.” Soon afterwards another volunteer texted, “I own a lighting fixture store. I’m sending over all her lighting needs plus some furniture.” Within 48 hours everythingwas delivered, including food to fill her refrigerator and freezer. Rina was thrilled. She did not have enough words to express her thanks for all of the amazing hesed she had received. It was hard for her to believe that shewas living in a new place, which allowed her to live with dignity, and even with a plentiful amount of food. Rina felt like she was living in a palace! Rina’s story is just one of many that typify the kindness and compassion, giving and caring that characterize the Mitzvah Man organization and the volunteers who give of themselves wholeheartedly. If you would like to join their chain of hesed or if you know someone who is need of assistance, please call the Mitzvah Man organization at (866) 355-1825. Follow the Mitzvah Man organization on Instagram @mitzvahman. Almost immediately the responses from the Mitzvah Man volunteers started coming in… 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 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 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 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 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 returned the call as soon as he could, telling the woman who 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 r turning from the store wh ch is quit 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 l vi g Mitzvah Man v lunteers. Th Mi zvah 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, 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 never ceases to be amazed by the hashg cha 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 organization 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 often do not permit 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 s that never before had their own sukkah. rev Sukkot , aft r all e deliveries w re made and kkot were set up, the Mitzvah Man received a text. 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 wh texted, Mrs. S.: “ Baruch Hashem , t gave away ll the brand new sukkot that we had ts for. However, I will keep y u in min as it does n that we get additional requests. But right now I o one to give th sukkot to. Hashe se s 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 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 an thought. Then, Mr. S. c bought those two sukkot he was willing to do these families would be all set. Sadly, the Mit told the c llers h did not have more sukkot to but he would definitely keep them in mind. At 3:30pm, the Mitzvah Man received a text fro As it turned out, when Mr. S. opened the box h home from t e 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 installed an hour befo by the hesed loving Mitzvah Man volunteers. Th Man o ganization always goes the extra mile to Everyone involved in this special mitzvah wa by th hashgacha pratit , the Divine Provi our Creator. W could say that it w s 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 says, “When one has the desire to do anot er, the Bore Olam helps them along.” rprise www.mitzvah-man.org or call 866-355-1825 ALWAYS WITH TOTAL COMPASSION PNINA SOUID