Avishai, a middle-aged yungerman in Beis Medrash Govoha, was facing difficult family challenges. One afternoon, during his bein ha’sedarim break, he took a drive to the local beis ha’kevaros to daven at the kever of his sister. By the time he got there, it was almost time to pick up his children, and he only had enough time for one kapital. So, he pulled out his Tehillim, and it opened to Kapital 23: “Hashem ro’ei lo echsar.” After saying that kapital, he concluded with a personal request for Hashem to grant him his yeshua in his sister’s zechus, and he left.
Returning from the kever, Avishai was overcome with pain. It had been some five years since his sister had left this world after suffering for many years. He left the kever with mixed emotions — both from his personal situation and over the pain that his sister had endured. This propelled him to release a heartfelt request: “Hashem, please show me that You are still with me. That’s the only thing that will console my pain. The only comfort that can fill the void is by witnessing that my Caring Father is embracing me tightly.” He had this one request replaying itself in his mind the whole way home.
As he was driving, his wife called to tell him that her car had scraped the side of a delivery truck. Avishai was surprised. “Is this the sign that Hashem is showing me?” Avishai thought to himself. “I know that everything Hashem does is for the good, but I was hoping to see the sign openly.” It didn’t take long for him to be consoled. When she told him that the sideswipe had left no impression, he was consoled. The truck sparkled as the day it was released from the manufacturer.
After Avishai returned home, he took a look at the scrape on his wife’s car, and instead of finding a mere scratch, he saw that its front right tire was rubbed out. It had shredded to the point that the metal lining was threadbare. The tire was a hairsbreadth away from popping.
Over the past couple of weeks, the car had been shaking, and he didn’t know why. He’d brought it to two local mechanics, but due to technical difficulties, they hadn’t given him a diagnosis. By Hashem orchestrating a scratch near the tire, Avishai had now found the problem. Not only that, but most of the tire was just fine besides for one part that was fairly rubbed out. Hashem had just that part protruding when his wife parked so he would be able to replace it before it was too late.
Avishai went to the mechanic to fix it, and then it dawned on him the words that he had just said at the beis ha’kevaros: “Yancheini b’maglei tzedek — lead me in the righteous way.” Maglei can also translate as wheels. With Hashem showing him the defect, he understood that Hashem wasn’t only answering his request to see Hashem’s care but was also answering his request when he recited the perek of Tehillim to lead him on righteous “wheels.”
He went straight to the mechanic, without delay. The receptionist informed him that there was no way they would be able to repair his car that day, as they were closing in a mere five minutes. He was disappointed, especially knowing that he was going to come late to second seder. He was already late, and now he would need to find another shop — which would only add time to his ETA.
He called his wife, who advised him to call a tire shop on wheels, which would enable him to go to Yeshivah while the repair was happening. Even if the mobile repair would cost more than the mechanic shop, it was worth the extra expense. He ordered the mobile without even asking the price, knowing that it was a learning expense — which pays itself off. A few extra dollars were well worth being able to attend seder. He had them repair his vehicle while he was plumbing the depths of the sugya.
Now he saw how the other part of the perek was answered: “V’shavti b’veis Hashem l’orech yamim — I will dwell in the house of Hashem for a length of days.” At a time when many would be in the shop waiting for their repair, he was able to sit before his Gemara and enjoy the sweetness of learning.
When he came to pay and the mechanic told him the amount, he was happy to hear that it was the same he would’ve paid at the shop! He hadn’t lost even a penny by going to seder and having the repair come to him. Before leaving, the mechanic told him that he was now equipped with a higher quality tire, and he’d installed it for the very same price.
So not only did he get “yancheini b’maglei tzedek” and “v’shavti b’veis Hashem,” but he also got “al mei menuchos,” without the hassle of waiting in the mechanic shop.
Could he see any clearer how Hashem was taking care of him?
