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Reb Naftali Githartz* and his wife are deeply devoted to his elderly mother-in-law. They oversee every aspect of her well-being, from coordinating her aides to managing doctors’ appointments and prescription refills, ensuring that she receives the best possible care.

She has one aide during the day and another at night, providing around-the-clock assistance. Over time, the aides have become familiar with her routine.

One day, Mrs. Githartz received a heartbreaking phone call from the daytime aide. Through uncontrollable tears, the woman explained that things at home had been falling apart for quite some time. The previous night, her husband had told her their marriage was over and that she needed to find somewhere else to live. She had nowhere to go.

After gathering herself, she hesitantly asked whether she might be able to sleep in an extra room at Mrs. Githartz’s mother’s home. Although she only worked there during the day, and another aide cared for her mother at night, simply having a safe place to sleep would mean everything. Without hesitation, Mrs. Githartz agreed. She prepared another room, and for the next two nights the aide had a roof over her head.

As Shabbos approached, another question arose. Mrs. Githartz’s mother regularly spent Shabbos with her daughter and son-in-law. The aide asked if she would be welcome as well? “Of course,” Mrs. Githartz told her. “We’re a little tight on space, but we’ll make it work.”

When Mrs. Githartz arrived on Friday to pick up her mother, she expected the aide to come along as well.

Instead, the aide greeted her with a broad smile. “I’m heading home now,” she said. “The night aide will be taking over.”

Mrs. Githartz stared at her in surprise. “Home?”

The aide pointed toward a white car parked outside. “My husband is waiting for me.”

Mrs. Githartz was stunned. Only a few days earlier, this woman had been inconsolable, convinced her marriage was over and that she had nowhere left to turn.

“What happened?” she asked.

The aide smiled. In all simplicity, the aide responded, “I prayed to G-d.”

Mrs. Githartz looked at her, surprised.

The aide continued. “Over the years I’ve cared for your mother, I’ve watched her. Every morning she talks to G-d. Every time something happens, she talks to G-d. She’s always so calm because she truly believes He’s listening.”

She paused. “So, I decided to do the same, and in no time, the situation turned around. My husband, who had told me to leave, welcomed me back home.”

A future that had looked so dark was suddenly filled with hope. Watching someone sincerely turn to Hashem inspired even one from an entirely different background to do the same and discover that He truly listens to everyone who calls out to Him.

Sometimes the greatest lesson in emunah is taught without a single lecture. It is simply lived.