Community Magazine September 2021

38 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Sharon, a woman in her mid-40s reached out to the Mitzvah Man organization not knowing if they would be able to help her. “I am a saleslady and I'm experiencing severe hearing loss. I cannot properly serve my customers because of my hearing issues. I am afraid of losing my job. The hearing loss is disrupting my life. However, I don’t want to take money from the organization. Perhaps you can find me used, refurbished hearing aids? I would be able to put some money towards that.” The Mitzvah Man told Sharon that they usually don’t provide this item, but he would send out a text to his volunteers with her request. Refurbished hearing aids. One volunteer responded. “This must be a sign from Hashem!” Hayim, the volunteer, explained that he has a business selling on the internet. He looks at various new items to sell but always tests them first. Recently Hayim tested hearing aids and was extremely impressed with their high quality. Hayim recently ordered the hearing aids to sell. He would be more than happy to fulfill Sharon’s request with a brand-new pair of hearing aids, free of charge. Sharon was overjoyed when she heard the news. Now, she can hear well, and this has truly given her a new lease on life. While before she was merely surviving, now she feels she is thriving! The Mitzvah Man posted this story on his personal webpage and soon after received a private message. “My daughter Frieda is 16 years old. She is deaf in both ears. After a certain age, our insurance does not cover the cost of the hearing aids she so desperately needs. She wants to live a normal life, have friends, date, marry, and have a family! Instead, she is living in a world of silence. Is there something that you can do for her?” The Mitzvah Man reached out to Hayim who was only too happy to fulfill this additional request for a brand-new pair of hearing aids. Mitzvah Man stated, “We often take our senses for granted. The sense of hearing, just like the sense of sight, helps us to be a part of the world around us, to be with family and friends, and enjoy life cycle celebrations. Baruch Hashem , we were able to help this teenager who is so happy with a bright present and b’ezrat Hashem will have an even brighter future. Tizke l’missvot to the donor of the hearing aids. He has made a tremendous difference in other people’s lives.” To us, hearing aids may seem like such a small item. But to Sharon and Frieda, they mean the world. 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 bri g 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 sukk h, 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 request 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 th 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 nother ay, 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 n ver cea es to be mazed by the hashgacha pratit h experiences on constant basis an 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 w w.mitzvah-man.org o 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 wn sukkah, even if there is room for one on roperty. r the Mitzvah Man. To help families t 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 set up, the Mitzvah Man received a text. uld not get to it immediately, and thirty minut s 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. How ver, I will k ep you in mind as i does n that we get ad itional r quests. 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 fr m 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 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 min . 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 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 deliv red and installed n hour befo by the hes d 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 say that it was just another day story for the Mitzvah M n organization, but o say it better – missva gorer t 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 another, the Bore Olam helps them along.” rprise www.mitzvah-man.org or call 866-355-1825 A SMALL ITEM CAN MEAN THE WORLD PNINA SOUID FROM THE FILES OF THE MITZVAH MAN HESED STORIES