A Fateful Call
The pressure in our yeshiva on Fridays mounts as Shabbat approaches. Hundreds of calls are forwarded to various extensions throughout the building. People ask for a blessing before the onset of Shabbat, a piece of advice, or just a few words of inspiration. The time allotted for these calls is shorter than on the other days of the week. At 12:00 sharp, I leave the office and turn homeward to help with Shabbat preparations.
The Gemara relates numerous instances of our holy Tanna’im who exerted themselves in honor of Shabbat. Chazal also guarantee us (Avodah Zarah 3a), “He who exerts himself on Erev Shabbat will eat on Shabbat.” My father, zy”a, used to help my mother, may she live long, around the house on Friday, and I try to help my wife.
As I passed by an office on my way out of the yeshiva building one Friday, I suddenly heard the phone ringing. I wasn’t aware that this room had a phone in it. I hurried to answer the call. A woman’s desperate voice came through the line. “What luck that I reached the Rav,” she began. “I have a terrible problem and cannot find a solution. I thought that taking my life would be an easy way to end my suffering. I have tried to reach the yeshiva numerous times, in order to take counsel with the Rav, but no one ever picked up the phone. I decided that I would place one more call to the yeshiva. If I reached the Rav, wonderful; and if not, I would simply put an end to all my troubles.”
Hearing her words sent a tremor down my spine. I offered her words of encouragement, explaining the severity of such a step. I finally succeeded in removing such thoughts from her mind. She told me what her problem was, and I offered her sound advice. Then I blessed her with success. She was happy with my advice, and thanked me. We hung up with greetings for a Shabbat Shalom.
As I placed the receiver on its cradle, I was lost in thought over the recent call. I asked the secretaries how the call had come specifically to that office. It turned out that it was a private phone of one of the secretaries. No one knows its number. How the woman found out this number remains a mystery. Additionally, the fact that I “happened” to pass by the room exactly when the phone rang, and answered it, was Heavenly arranged.
Without a doubt, Hashem’s hand led me to pick up the phone, thereby saving the woman’s life.
