A Consecrated Cancellation
On one of my many trips to Mexico, I was invited to the home of Mr. Bergman. He promised to make his entire kitchen kosher, if only I would accept his invitation. When I finally did so, he was the happiest man in the world. He invited a number of friends, as well, including gentiles.
As I was taking my leave, Mr. Bergman asked for a blessing in the merit of my holy fathers, zy”a. A gentile lawyer friend of his asked for a blessing for success. After blessing them both warmly, I turned to the lawyer and asked, “Where are you planning on traveling tomorrow?”
“To Los Angeles,” he replied.
“Do not fly tomorrow,” I ordered. “Stay in Mexico.”
I myself had no idea why I told him this. Hashem alone knows the reasons for everything.
The man obeyed my command. Certainly, this was pre-arranged on High, in order to cause a kiddush Hashem.
The very next day, when the lawyer was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles, he suddenly suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. In ICU, his condition was stabilized, and his life was saved. As he lay in the hospital bed, he discussed his heart attack with his doctor. He related that the day before the attack, he had attended a gathering in his Jewish friend’s house. A rabbi there had warned him against traveling on that day.
Upon hearing this, the gentile doctor said, “I have no idea how the Rabbi knew to warn you against flying. But had you flown, you would not have lived to tell the tale. Go and thank him for saving your life.”
This story made a great kiddush Hashem. When he came to thank me for my life-saving advice, I remarked that it was Hashem Who had put the words into my mouth. I myself did not know why I had said it.
Often, Hashem wants to prove to the nations of the world that He exists. He does this by displaying His strong arm. Since He wants them to know who is the Chosen Nation, He raises Am Yisrael’s stature in the eyes of the others.
Moreover, Hashem arranged that the lawyer was saved in the merit of Jews, so that when the time would come, this gentile would feel an inclination to come toward the Jews. He would have such a sense of gratitude that he would willingly help his Jewish clients in any way he could.
