On his way back to Eretz Yisroel from one of his visits to the U.S., Harav Ahron Leib Steinman zt”l was flown on a chartered plane together with his gaba’im and entourage. Sometime after the plane took off, the head steward came over to Harav Steinman zt”l and said, “This plane was prepared for you, so please let me know anything that you want or need. We can prepare any food you’d like.” Harav Ahron Leib thought for a few seconds, then said, “I need to think about it, thank you. Please come back in a few minutes.”
The gaba’im were flabbergasted! They knew Reb Ahron Leib’s diet, and it really didn’t consist of much; he would be happy with even some stale bread and water! What could Reb Ahron Leib need time to think about?
After a few minutes, the steward returned, and said to Reb Ahron Leib, “What can we get for you?” Reb Ahron Leib asked again, “You can really do anything?” The steward reassured Reb Ahron Leib, “Anything the Rabbi would like.” Reb Ahron Leib then made his request. “This flight was arranged in a way that I was able to daven Shacharis before we left, and we will be back in Eretz Yisroel in time to daven Ma’ariv. However, we will need to daven Mincha on the plane. My concentration on the plane is not on the same level as it is when I am on the ground. Would it be possible to land the plane somewhere so that we can get out and daven Mincha properly on the ground?”The steward was a bit taken aback by this request, but he said, “One minute, let me find out.” A few moments later, the pilot announced on the loudspeaker, “Everyone please be seated, and prepare for landing!” The plane landed, and Reb Ahron Leib, with his entourage, went out to daven. As soon as they were done, they reboarded the plane, and continued their flight on to Eretz Yisroel.
This story teaches us a powerful lesson. Had the steward offered one of us anything we wanted, we would probably start calculating how to request a host of milchik delicacies before we ask for the fleishik ones! But Reb Ahron Leib’s mind was totally focused on one thing: Olam HaBah. Being that he was so far removed from this materialistic world, he was able to constantly think of things that would bring him closer to a more fruitful Olam HaBah.
The Chida writes, that this is the lesson of the succah, to remind us to keep our focus on Olam HaBah, and to internalize that this world is only temporary (see devar Torah above).
A Yid was once looking for a ride back to Yerusholayim from Kever Rochel. Someone pulled over and offered him a ride. The Yid asked the driver where he was going. The man told him that he’s headed to a certain neighborhood in Yerusholayim. The Yid said, “I appreciate your offer, but where I live is totally in the opposite direction; I don’t want to make you go out of your way.” The driver replied, “It’s okay, it’s on the way.” The Yid didn’t understand. “How could it be on your way? When you get off the highway in Yerusholayim, to get to my neighborhood you need to make a right, and to get to yours you need to make a left?” The driver said, “It depends where I’m headed, if I’m headed home, then you’re right, it’s out of my way. But if I’m headed towards Olam HaBah, then it’s on my way!”
May we all be zocheh to properly utilize the mitzvah of succah as a springboard to remind us that we are only on this world temporarily, and that our minds be focused in the right direction towards Olam HaBah for the rest of our lives! (Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Weg)
