I read the story previously published in this section about a man who forgot to recite the Birchot HaShachar (morning blessings). At the end of the Tefillah, he heard another man reciting the berachos with great intent, which reminded him that he himself had forgotten to say them, and thus he merited to recite the Birchot HaShachar.
This reminded me of a similar incident that happened to me when I was in Meron on a Shabbos morning. After finishing my Tefillah, I left the cave at 11:30 AM, heading towards the apartment I had rented. In the middle of the road, a man on his way to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai stopped me and asked, “Would you mind answering Amen to my Birchot HaShachar?” At that moment, I didn’t quite understand—why would someone on their way to daven in the cave stop a man on the street when he could certainly find plenty of people inside the cave who would gladly respond Amein to his berachos?
Nonetheless, I seized the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah and responded Amein to his berachos. Afterward, he thanked me for the special patience I had shown him. And then, in that very moment, I suddenly remembered that I had not yet recited Birchot HaShachar myself!
Since I wanted people to answer Amein to my berachos, I had waited until I reached the cave—but once there, I completely forgot about it! And so, HaKadosh Baruch Hu reminded me in this way!
‘ואתה נותן להם את אכלם בעתו’
You give them their food in its proper time
The overdraft in my bank account was suffocating me. I was extremely worried that my checks would bounce, and I knew that my credit card payment was also due soon. I desperately needed a sum of money to cover all these expenses.
What can a Jew do in such a situation if not turn to our Father in Heaven with all his heart and plead for His salvation, which only He, Yisbarach, knows how to orchestrate?! And so, I did just that—I prayed with all my heart.
As I was still praying, my phone rang. On the other end was a close friend asking me for a favor: “Would it be possible for me to transfer a sum of money to your bank account, and you, in turn, will transfer it to a certain person?” I happily agreed to do this act of kindness—after all, as long as my bank account wasn’t collapsing, I was glad to help. And so, I followed through with the request.
He transferred the money to me, and I then forwarded the sum to the second individual as I had been asked. Suddenly, I remembered that the person to whom I had transferred the money manages a large gemach (a free-loan fund). It dawned on me that he could easily lend me the amount I desperately needed—if only Hashem willed it! Perhaps this entire sequence of events was orchestrated just to help me?!
I approached the man with the envelope I had just given him on behalf of my friend and asked if there was any chance I could receive a loan. Without hesitation, he agreed and ensured that I received the full amount I needed under very favorable terms—saving me from a terrible financial crisis!
I should note that normally, in order to qualify for a loan from his gemach, one must wait in line and go through various delays. But now, since hashgacha had sent me to deliver a significant sum from my friend to him, it ended up benefiting me as well! ל.ז.
