Parashat Bechukotai, 27 Iyar, 5779 | June 1, 2019 TheTorahAnyTimesfrom TorahAnytime.com Rabbi Zecharia TheTorahAnyTimes is a publication of Wallerstein Two Acceptances, One Marriage Compiled and Edited by Elan Perchik s I am accustomed, every Until the night of her engage- IN THIS ISSUE year before going up to Mer- ment, she mentioned to her chassan Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein on on Lag Ba’Omer, I visit what had happened. “So what did A Two Acceptances, One Marriage my Rebbe, R’ Gamliel Rabinowitz. you accept upon yourself?” he asked. Rabbi Yoel Gold Two years ago, he said to me, “Accept Although she had told no one else, I Remember You something upon yourself, and what- she confided in him. “I accepted that Rabbi Shlomo Farhi ever you need, Hashem will answer five minutes before Shabbos I would Learning from the Flowers you.” be ready.” Her chassan was speech- With me that year was my young- less. “What? What did you say?” he DEDICATIONS est daughter, Hindi. “If you’d like to asked, fumbling his words. “I accept- become a kallah,” R’ Gamliel added, ed upon myself that five minutes be- L’iluy Nishmat “go up to Meron with your father, fore Shabbos I would be ready.” R’ Elchonon Yaakov z”l ben R’ Shmuel accept something upon yourself, “You are not going to believe this,” Pinchos write it down, and keep to it very he said. “Last year, I also went to R’ Manish ben Esther closely. You will see, that next year Gamliel, and he told me, ‘If you want Meir Eliyahu ben Yaakov Dov on Lag Ba’Omer, you will know your to know who your kallah is on next Bechor ben Rivkah chassan.” year’s Lag Ba’omer, accept something What surprised her and my entire upon yourself.’ After I was told this, I Shlomo Zalman ben R’ Mordechai Yisroel Tzvi family was that R’ Gamliel said that wrote down on a piece of paper that Esther bat on the very day of Lag Ba’Omer, she from now on, I will make sure that I haRav Avraham Halevi zt”l will know her who she will marry. am ready five minutes before Shab- Moshe Simcha ben Doniel Dov Ber And that is exactly what happened. bos.” Miriam bat Yeshayahu One year later, on Lag Ba’omer, she They had both accepted to do the got engaged. same thing without knowing about Malka Bracha bat Shimon Chaim But Hindi never told her chassan each other. Lag Ba’omer is an espe- anything about what had transpired cially auspicious day to take some- L’refuah Sheleima with R’ Gamliel and her personal thing new on and commit to it. And Deena bat Shoshana kabbalah. it really works. Chaya Raizel bat Dena Yerachmiel Eliyahu Ben Esther Riva Reuven ben Rochel Rabbi Yoel Gold Itai ben Orna I Remember You Menachem Moshe Ben Chana Gittel or Chana Weinstock, a 23-year- Having gotten sick and bogged down old girl studying abroad in Is- with a headache, she decided to re- To add your dedication, Frael, her stay over Shabbos in turn back to her normal living quar- email [email protected] Tzefat was not the most pleasant. ters in Har Nof and rest up. There The TorahAnyTimes Parashat Bechukotai 5779 1 she would hopefully recover from of Ramadan and everyone was home ing or the like, she began heading her cold and regain her strength. breaking their fast, she was at a loss in its direction. She told herself that But then the phone rang. It was to explain why just about no one was she would pretend to be a Pro-Pal- one of Chana’s good friends from out in the street. But now, how this estinian, UCLA student from Cali- Chaifa, calling for a favor. “Chana, if ever happened became clearer to fornia who believed in social justice you would be able to help me, I am Chana. Amid her frenzied state, she and was in the process of writing working on a project for my com- had mistakenly gotten on an Arab a report on the Palestinian life and pany, and I need a picture of the blue-and-white bus, mistaking it for working for their cause. That would Temple Mount from a certain angle an Israeli bus due to its colors. be her best shot at presenting herself while standing on Har HaZeitim. I Now stuck in East Jerusalem at in a neutral way and perhaps earning know you have a knack for this, so I night by herself, Chana began to the pity and succor of someone. was wondering if you would be able panic. Barely any lights were shining Knocking on the door, Chana’s to help me get this picture.” After from the shuttered-up houses, all the heart fluttered as she awaited a re- hearing of her friend’s predicament, street lamps were dark, and posters sponse. And then the door opened. Chana replied that she would gladly were plastered on the walls high- Standing before her was a 19-year- do her best to help, despite being a lighting different Palestinian heroes. old Palestinian girl wearing a hijab. bit under the weather. Nothing more was needed to make “Chana?” the Palestinian girl called Chana proceeded to get up and Chana conclude that she was in trou- out. Caught off guard, Chana looked ready herself to take the bus. As she ble. back at the girl in confusion, hav- finally headed out the door, she spot- Chana immediately took out her ing expected to present herself as a ted where the bus would pick her up phone, hoping that someone could stranger from a college campus. But and take her to Shar Shechem, where help her get out of there. But that before Chana could further process she would board another bus to take option didn’t last long, as she looked the situation, the girl grabbed hold her to Har HaZeitim. Upon arriving down at her phone and, despondent- of Chana and pulled her inside, giv- in Shar Shechem, Chana got off the ly, saw that it was out of battery. She ing her a gigantic hug. Chana just bus and began walking to where she couldn’t have hoped for a worse sce- about froze in shock as to what was needed to be next. But now Chana nario to be in. Stranded in East Jeru- happening. The girl then pulled out felt a bit lightheaded, with her head salem alone with no way of contact- a card off the shelf and said in Ara- spinning and eyes blurred. Not feel- ing anyone. She didn’t know where bic-Hebrew, “Yesh li et ha’michtav – I ing so well, she got on the first blue to go or what to do. have the card.” and white bus that pulled up and Suddenly, Chana remembered… took a seat, knowing that her ride Chana started mumbling Tehil- Six months earlier, she had been would be short until she arrived at lim, as Jews have done throughout running a program in Israel for Aish Har HaZeitim where she needed. the ages when caught in unfavorable HaTorah in the King Solomon hotel. Yet, amid the fatigue Chana was conditions. She pleaded to Hashem With a large number of staff on-site, in, it wasn’t long before she fell fast that He help her at this time, when Chana would certainly meet difficul- asleep. quite literally, no one else could help ty reaching everyone and attending Twenty-five minutes later Chana her. to their needs and requests. Chana awoke. Looking out the window, she But realizing that she ought to therefore decided that she would immediately realized that she had make some personal effort in get- go the extra mile in extending her- gone far beyond her destination. ting herself out of the situation, self to connect with the many staff Getting off the bus, she crossed the she decided that she would look for members, from the highest to lowest. road and began heading back in the the house that looked the least Ara- And so, she bought herself a notepad direction she came from. But the bic. She would look for a house that and slowly made her way around streets were just about empty and had lights on the outside and grass the hotel, writing down each of the there was no bus stop in sight. Cha- in front nicely taken care of. If she staff member’s names, shift hours na kept on walking and walking un- ever wished to give herself a chance and position and interests. It was til she came across a settlement with of making it out safely, she needed to Chana’s best way of connecting to houses. And then she realized. She do something. everyone she would have otherwise was in East Jerusalem. Spotting one particular house overlooked. Unaware that it was the first night with no Palestinian pictures hang- After tallying up the names of ev- The TorahAnyTimes Parashat Bechukotai 5779 2 eryone there, Chana’s list reached prepared, the one for the Pakistani warm greetings to all those around fifty staff members. Everyone’s girl was the last, given that Chana the table. name was noted, whether Jewish or had only met her some hours ago But Chana had no intention to non-Jewish, with a short description for just a brief period. But, notwith- stay around much longer. After a few about them which would assist Cha- standing the short introduction and moments of catching up, she asked na in relating personally to them.