Awakened by a Mitzvah
A young man once volunteered to arrange a hilula celebration in honor of the tzaddik, Rabbi Meir Ba’al Haness, zy”a. He did this altruistically, with no ulterior motives whatsoever.
Unfortunately, when he went around inviting people, a mentally ill man shot him and nearly killed him. He was rushed to the hospital, fighting for his life, where he was pronounced in critical condition.
His mother approached me and said, “Honored Rav, my son was injured while he was involved in a mitzvah of chessed, inviting people to the hilula of the tzaddik, Rabbi Meir Ba’al Haness, zy”a. How can Hashem let him die like this?”
I replied that certainly on High they recognized his virtues, since he sought only the benefit of his fellow Jews. I was sure that he would have a complete recovery.
The young man spent three months in a coma in the hospital. Then, in a most dramatic, miraculous way, he suddenly opened his eyes. His condition gradually improved until he was completely cured.
Sometimes, it is sufficient to study ordinary, day-to-day occurrences to realize that the merit of a mitzvah protects its protagonist.
