Reb Chaim Meir Phillip from Yerushalayim relates: My story has no pain or struggle in it, no debts and no seeking forgiveness, only the hidden longings of a heart, which were fulfilled.
Sometimes a Yid thinks to himself, How I wish I could make a Shabbos for the whole family to get together and come away strengthened spiritually and connected to family. But how can I do this if I don’t have the money for it? Sometimes we want to beautify the Shabbos table, and sometimes we want something on a higher standard, and we worry that perhaps it was decreed that we not enjoy these things. For people who think this way, I am telling my story, which is one long, enlightening chain of hashgachah pratis.
My firstborn was a boy, and he was followed by many girls. My house was filled with blessing, and I thanked Hashem with all my heart for the valuable gifts of good, healthy children. At the same time, I wanted another son. Among the segulos I did, I davened at the kever of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron and promised that I would take my son to Meron for his chalakah.
And indeed, chasdei Hashem ki lo samnu, a son was born to us. Our joy was very great, and the time came to fulfill my promise and take the child up to Meron. Although he was born in Tammuz, we asked our Rebbe and he told us that we could give him his haircut on Lag Ba’omer.
We were filled with joy. Fifteen years after the previous chalakah in our family, we were zocheh to go to Meron with our son and celebrate with him on Lag Ba’omer. That year Lag Ba’omer came out on a Thursday, and I joyfully informed my family that in honor of this great, rare simchah, we would travel to Meron for Lag Ba’omer and stay until after Shabbos.
I am not a wealthy man. Renting an apartment in Meron for Lag Ba’omer is very expensive – way out of my budget, but I davened to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and asked Him to help me. He is the Owner of everything, including the apartments in Meron. I got hold of a list of apartments and guest houses for rent in Meron, but I did not call any of them. First, I worked really hard on my bitachon in the Kol Yachol – that I would find an apartment that would suit me. “Please, Hashem,” I asked again and again, “please get us to Meron in the most convenient and least expensive way.”
At the beginning of the week of Lag Ba’omer, my family asked me what was happening. We needed to know which apartment we’d be staying in. Suddenly, I had an idea that we might be able to rent an apartment only for the day of Lag Ba’omer, leaving at the end of the day, and then I would be able to rent the apartment from the night following Lag Ba’omer until after Shabbos. The chances of finding an apartment being rented out for a lower price was a definite possibility.
I looked at the list and thought, Where is there a chance of finding a cheaper apartment? In the middle of Kfar Meron, near Rabi Shimon, or at the edge of the Kfar? At the edge, right? I went to the end of the list, but then I stopped myself and said, Where is your bitachon? Why are you being small-minded and choosing one from the end of the list? HaYad Hashem tiktzar? He can give you the best apartment at the best price. I went back to the beginning of the list and made one call, then another, then a third. On the third call, the owner of the apartment responded with exactly what I wanted to hear – and more. “Yes, yes, someone from abroad is coming only for the day of Lag Ba’omer and leaving in the evening. You can come Lag Ba’omer in the afternoon and put your suitcases in the storage room near the apartment. Since you’re coming for Friday-Shabbos, after Lag Ba’omer, you’ll get the apartment for the regular price. How much? Altogether 2,000 shekels.”
That was the beginning of our exciting experience. True, 2,000 shekels is not a small sum, and I would have to figure out how to get hold of it, but bearing in mind that we had waited fifteen years for this event, I would make the effort, with Hashem’s help.
The next stage was the trip. A large family, lots of baggage for the night of Lag Ba’omer and another two nights – this was no simple feat. It seemed I would have to order a van to take us to Meron, but it would not be allowed up the mountain, and we would have to shlep all our suitcases and small children on our own. I worried about this. I wanted VIP service for a regular price or less. I gave tzedakah and asked Hashem, using the same words I’d used before: “Please, Hashem, get us to Meron in the most convenient and least expensive way.”
As hishtadlus, I called a company that provides travel services for a regular price. They had a prearranged parking spot, along with a shuttle that would bring passengers from the parking lot to the mountain. They told me to come to the station and do what everyone does – no advance reservations. How would we manage with all the suitcases and the food for Friday and Shabbos? They had no answer for me, but we gave tzedakah and set out on our way.
By tzedakah, I mean literally pennies. And that’s what I gave each time, all the way to
