My mother, shetichyeh, is an almanah and is one of the great women in whose merit we will be redeemed. She goes to daven in Kever Rachel every morning. She has a list of names of people who need yeshuos, and she davens that she be zocheh to continue davening for all of Klal Yisrael in good health. May Hashem give her long life and good years.
I have a secret agreement with Rachel Imeinu. Every morning I send Ima a delicious, healthy breakfast. I live in Beitar, and the trip to Kever Rachel is short and easy if you take the tunnel road. Sometimes I bring her the meal myself, and sometimes I find a messenger from among the avreichim who are going there. I wrap up the food nicely and attractively in a bag, with a quote from the Lelover Rebbe zt”l: “Ima likes when her children eat.”
Ima gets to Kever Rachel at about 9 a.m., and I leave my home at ten to nine, so that a short while after she arrives, she receives her breakfast.
One day a few months ago, I was on the tunnel road on the way to Ima to bring her Rachel Imeinu’s meal. Suddenly, I saw soldiers jump out of a car and start to shoot. What is this? I thought to myself. Do they empty their guns at the end of their shift? A moment later another group of soldiers showed up. At that second I realized I was in the midst of a genuine terror attack. The first group of soldiers were actually terrorists, yemach shemam.
I made an immediate U-turn and started driving in the opposing direction. It was strange and dangerous, but less dangerous than meeting up with the terrorists. Drivers honked at me, and I shouted, “Attack! Terror attack! Get away from here!” I drove and drove until I had distanced myself from the danger. Then I allowed myself to feel the intense beating of my heart. I was there! I had experienced a real terror attack! I had been saved from death! I wanted to go home to rest after the trauma. I could not go on this way.
A minute after I decided to go home, I saw the holy bag right near me, the kibbud av va’eim bag, which had protected me like a kamiya. I have no doubt that in this zechus I was saved, and therefore, despite everything, I would go and bring it to Ima.
Obviously, I couldn’t take the tunnel road, so I took a long detour, through Hadassah Ein Kerem, and brought Ima the bag.
I was not prepared to forgo this zechus of kibbud eim.
