Community Magazine August 2021

32 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Eight years ago, the Mitzvah Man organization received a unique request. The caller, Mrs. H., explained the following: “ Baruch Hashem , we are a wealthy family living in a luxurious home. Everything our family could possibly need is at our fingertips. Financially we are on top of the world. However, our 14-year-old son, Joey, just takes it all for granted. He is becoming extremely spoiled. We want to instill him with a sense of values, but he just doesn’t seem to be appreciative. “I have an idea, but it might not work. We know that the Mitzvah Man organization sends volunteers to deliver food packages to the needy and elderly. Could you send a volunteer to pick up my son so that he could help him on his route?” “It would be our pleasure,” answered the Mitzvah Man. The Experiment The next Thursday afternoon a volunteer named Avi went to pick Joey up. Their first stop was to load the car with the boxes. Avi explained, “These food packages provide sustenance for those who are in financial trouble, are ill, or elderly. The people who get them have no families to provide for them. Today we have six deliveries to make. Thank you for helping with this act of kindness.” It was a sweltering, humid summer day, the temperature reaching 95 degrees. It was not a day most would relish schlepping heavy boxes. After loading the van, the first stop was to an apartment building where two families lived who were food recipients. Avi got out of the van and Joey asked him if he should wait for him. “No, I want you to feel the mitzvah,” Avi responded. Joey had never seen such a place in his life. The building was totally rundown. It screamed of poverty, which was something that Joey had never been exposed to. Joey told Avi that he was not going to lift the boxes. But Avi responded that he needed his help. “I will take one box and you will take one box.” Joey looked up at the tenth floor and asked, “Why are the windows open? Don’t they have A/C?” Avi said, “They can’t afford it. Not everyone can.” Joey noticed all the flies in the building and hesitated. Avi was right there with him. “We have no choice. This is poverty and this is how these people live their lives 24/7. Let’s go. These families are waiting for their food delivery. You go to apartment 10L, and I will go to apartment 8B. You go first.” “How do I open the lobby door?” “Simple. Put the box down, press the button to open the door, pick the box back up, and push the door open. Then, when you get to the apartment, knock on the door and leave the box there. Don’t wait for them to open the door. We don’t want to embarrass the family.” Joey looked around. The sight of the inside of the dilapidated building gave him pause for thought. Avi and Joey finished all the deliveries and by the end of their route they were both covered in sweat. Avi reported back to the Mitzvah Man that their mission was accomplished. He assumed that Joey would not be back. The Happy Ending Mrs. H. called the Mitzvah Man. “What did you do to my son? He loved it!” “Excuse me, but what do you mean?” the Mitzvah Man asked. “He wants to go again!” Avi picked up Joey the following week. It was hot and humid just like the previous week. Joey did the deliveries like a pro. He continued to join Avi doing deliveries for another five weeks until school started. His mother called the Mitzvah Man thrilled. “I think that this hesed has really made a difference. Joey is showing more appreciation for everything. I am incredibly grateful for the hesed that you did for our family.” Eight years later Avi saw his old delivery buddy Joey, now with his own car, which is loaded full of food boxes! When Avi approached Joey, Joey said to him, “I have my own car and I decided to dedicate myself to making food deliveries. The people need the food, and I am going to get it to them no matter what.” Give your children the training to give to others early in life. They deserve your investment in making them ba’alei hesed . Doing hesed is best learnt young. Lead by example and it will produce results. 30 Community m gazine T e Mitzv h Man organization is always on the lookout for how to bring joy to any Jew in need. And hat 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 nev r see 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 famili s 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 ne 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 o e t give the sukkot to. Hashem s es your heart. W 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 .” Th Mitzvah Man got off the phone with Mrs. S. about 2pm. One hour ater, 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 arlier! the Mitzvah Man thought. Then, Mr. S. could have bo ght 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, another story for t e 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.mitzv h-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 famili s t perform he 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 were set up, the Mitzvah an received a text. uld not get to it i mediately, 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.: “ Baruch Hashem , t gave a ay 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,” nswered Mrs. S , “howev r, 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 erta nly 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 those two sukkot he was willing to do th s families would be all set. Sadly, the Mit told the callers he 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 the store c n aining his sukkah, he s couple of items had not been put into the packag about to go straig t 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 ve y last minute! Their b sukkot were delivered and installed an hour befo by the hes d loving Mitzvah Man volunteers. Th Man organization always go s the extra mile to Everyone involved in this special mitzvah wa by the h shgacha pratit , t Divine Provi our Creator. We could say that it was just anot er 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 hashga a pratit he experiences on a constant 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 TRAINING YOUR CHILD TO DO HESED PNINA SOUID FROM THE FILES OF THE MITZVAH MAN HESED STORIES