A woman told the following story in a video recently posted online:
“I took knives, went to the bomb shelter, gave every kid a knife, and said to them, ‘Listen up, this is not a normal situation. It has never happened before.’ Suddenly, I looked through the peephole, and I saw six terrorists, guns drawn, loudly chanting in Arabic. And I’m standing there with two knives in my hands, with my children behind me, and I’m still looking through the peephole, just unable to believe this is happening.
“And in that moment, I raised my eyes to G-d, and I said, ‘Hashem, I am promising you right now that I will keep all my Shabbats until the day I die. Protect me and my children because we are in danger. I refuse to acknowledge this as my end. I haven’t finished my tikkun. Borei Olam, I am begging you for mercy.’”
Tears filled her eyes and those of the women to whom she was speaking. She continued emotionally, “And the minute I committed to keeping Shabbat, they just skipped over my house. They simply vanished!”
Every mitzvah counts. Every. Single. One. We must commit to taking upon a new mitzvah or perhaps pledge to intentionally do one to which maybe we don’t pay such great attention. Hashem is listening. He is eagerly waiting for us to bring Mashiach speedily in our days. What can you commit to today?
Reprinted from the Parashat Vayera 5784 email of Jack E. Rahmey based on the Torah teachings of Rabbi Amram Sananes
