Whenever I travel to Meron for Shabbos, I take the Tiv Hakehila sheet with me for the people. Most of the time I call a man who lives in Tzefas. He comes to Meron, takes the sheets from me, and distributes them in Tzefas. I called him and he was surprised that I was in Meron and said that had he known he would have asked me to be the sandek for his son on Sunday. “I did not dream that the Rebbe would be in Meron during Shovavim!!!” He asked if I would be the sandek on Sunday. I told him that since Rosh Chodesh was Friday, there was no Shovavim so I could go to Meron instead of being the chazan.
I agreed to be the sandek, but I asked that the Bris must be on time. I had yahrzeit for my father on Sunday and I had to be at Har HaMenuchos where I had already arranged to have a minyan. He assured me it would be on time; I changed my plans to leave on Sunday instead of after Shabbos.
Sunday, the time of the Bris arrived, but no baby. It was already Mincha, so I davened by Rashbi for my father; the Bris still did not start. Inside, I was torn. On the one hand, it was my father’s yahrzeit and I had honored my father my whole life, and there was nothing more important to me. On the other hand, the Bris was late.
I was ready to leave to say Kaddish for my father, but I asked myself, “What does HaKadosh Baruch Hu want me to do in this situation? What would my father do in this situation? He was always considerate...”
The answer was clear, I stayed. The Baal Simcha arrived in 90 minutes. I assured the father that everything was all right and calm. I asked him to assure his wife... the Bris ended, and I got into the ride waiting for me, and we went to Yerushalayim. On the way, I called my brother and informed him that I will not make the minyan.
As we entered Yerushalayim near sunset, I asked the driver to go directly to the grave of my father, to say Tehillim and Mishnayos. The driver pulled up and as I got out of the car, a group of twenty men were just leaving to catch a ride.
I asked if they could answer to Kaddish, and they were happy to. I said Kaddish, their ride arrived, and they got in.
What hashgacha pratis because I did not get angry! A minute early or late and they would not have been there... HaKadosh Baruch Hu sent them specifically for me. I asked them if they were there for a yahrzeit, and they said they were just passing by...
Of course, since the Baal Simcha rushed things so I would not miss Kaddish for my father, I called him to tell him I was able to say Kaddish with a minyan by my father’s grave. (He explained that the Bris was delayed, and it was entirely not their fault.)
-Moreinu HaRav shlita
