Ticket to Divine Intervention
On the fifth of Elul, 5764, the hilula for my father, zy”a, was celebrated in Montreal on the Motza’ei Shabbat of Parashat Shoftim. I was scheduled to fly to New York the next day, and from there, to Israel.
My secretary had purchased my plane ticket, which was due to be brought to me by a specific individual. The police in Canada are notorious for stopping travelers on their way to the airport and demanding to see their tickets. Without my ticket on me, there was no reason to drive to the airport.
As we were celebrating the hilula, a fellow came over to me and asked if I was planning to travel to New York the next day. After affirming this fact, he continued, “Does the Rav have his ticket with him?”
“It has not reached me yet,” I replied.
“It is in my possession,” he declared. “I will go and bring it to the Rav.”
This was quite strange. The man had not even been invited to the hilula. How did he suddenly show up? It was obviously hashgachah pratit at work, sending him to give me my ticket.
On my way to the airport, an officer, indeed, stopped us and asked to see my ticket. Baruch Hashem, I was able to show it to him.
- Hachnasat Sefer Torah in Montreal
