We know that Hashem communicates with each person. The question is if the person hears it. The following are some stories where Hashem communicated with people on Shabbos.
A boy named Dave returned to his native Rochester after learning in Aish Hatorah in Yerushalayim. After spending six weeks there, he was losing his grasp on maintaining a Shabbos observant lifestyle, as he was in close proximity to his non-religious family and community. One Friday night, he had a dialogue with Hashem: “I am waiting for you to send me some type of sign until 12:00. If nothing happens, I will turn on the television.” The clock struck 12, without any sign. Dave then said, “I’ll wait until 12:15 for a sign.” Once the clock hit 12:15 without any sign, he turned on the television to a show called “The David Letterman Show.” In an interview, David Letterman asked an actor, Tom Hanks, who recently visited Israel if he picked up any Hebrew. Tom recounted that on Friday night in Israel, there is something called the Shabbos and they greet each other with Shabbat Shalom. So Shabbat Shalom Dave! Dave from Aish Hatorah was astonished and got the message. Dave maintained his religious observance and raised a passionate observant family.
Someone once said, “Sometimes Hashem lets you hit rock bottom so that you will discover He is the rock at the bottom.”
Here is another story, this one involving a chosson at his aufruf. We know that on the Shabbos of a chosson’s aufruf, he receives an aliya. At the aufruf of a chosson named Moshe, he was anxious and worried since he had a major stuttering issue. He was afraid to recite the bracha for his aliya. The moment arrived when he was called up to the Torah. The baal korai then pointed to where he was up to as is accustomed. Upon seeing the words, Moshe was stunned, as it began vayomer Hashem el Moshe al tira, Hashem said to Moshe don’t be afraid!
The chosson took this as a direct message from Hashem telling him not to fear. Moshe related that these words stay with him every day, concerning any issue, not just stuttering.
In the summer of 1985, a secular Jew named Steve, who enjoyed traveling on airplanes, decided one day to challenge himself to jump out of a plane and parachute down. He discovered an airport in Lakewood, New Jersey, which was near where he lived, that had a one-day course to learn how to do this which was a necessary prerequisite. Since he planned to do it on Shabbos, Steve’s brother, Gary, who became a baal teshuva, convinced him to postpone the adventure until Sunday, which was the only other day the one-day course was offered. Each time Steve went, there was some issue as it was either too windy, cloudy or rainy, which made the activity illegal to perform. Gary called Steve on the Friday before his adventure would take place and told him there is an Aish Hatorah Shabbaton in Lakewood. “Come for the Shabbaton as there will be great inspirational speakers and great food, and then on Sunday, you will have a good time with your adventure.” Steve was convinced and came to the Shabbaton. On Friday night after midnight, Steve crept into a side room which he knew was only for the leaders of the Shabbaton. In that room, R' Yaakov Weinberg (R' Noach’s brother) addressed the leaders saying, “We have a great responsibility and opportunity because secular Jews are searching and want the answers to meaning in their lives and we have the answers. People who haven’t found meaning look for excitement, but once the excitement dissipates, they are left feeling a void. There are even young people that seek thrills such as jumping off an airplane.” Steve was shocked as he felt it was a personal message since he wasn’t supposed to be at that meeting. Steve later said that from that moment onward, he was soaring and flying but not on an airplane. He soared in an atmosphere of kedusha and committed to attend Yeshiva Kol Yaakov in Monsey. He later attended Ohr Someach where he studied for 13 years.
Rashi explains the words vayishma Yisro that Yisro heard about the splitting of the Yam Suf and the war with Amaleik. Many are bothered as everyone else also heard. Why does it highlight that only Yisro heard? It is because he heard and internalized it. The same is true for ourselves who may hear many incredible stories that show Hashem’s involvement in our lives (and obviously those occurrences that we experienced directly). We must take it to heart and internalize the lessons.
