In May 1996 Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel’s father-in-law became quite ill. He was taken to the Tel Hashomer hospital in Ramat Gan, where, despite the doctors’ efforts, his condition deteriorated. Family members never left his bedside. One night Rabbi Neugroschel stayed at his father-in-law’s bedside, prepared to assist and give comfort in any way he could.
After midnight, the nurses encouraged him to get some rest. Rabbi Neugroschel respectfully rejected the advice and remained at the bedside throughout the night. He was tired, but he felt that a family member should be awake and available should any need arise.
While Driving He Felt His Eyelids Beginning to Droop
At 7:00 in the morning, another family member relieved Rabbi Neugroschel. He collected his belongings, went to a local shul to pray shaharit, and then got in his family van to begin the hour-long ride home to Jerusalem. As he drove onto the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway he felt his eyelids beginning to droop. He listened to Torah tapes as he drove to keep him awake.
After forty minutes, however, even the taped lectures could not counteract his exhaustion. Traffic was heavy. The plodding row of buses, cabs and cars jammed tightly together made his head sag as his eyes closed for a moment. He snapped awake when he realized that his van was coasting close to the embankment on the shoulder of the road.
He was only ten minutes from home. Surely he could force himself to stay awake until then. But suddenly the van was rolling down the side of the hill, plunging into a valley, ripping a tree from its roots, rolling over again and again, until finally it landed on its side against a boulder. Rabbi Neugroschel was pinned against his seat.
Dozens of People Saw the Van Going Off the Road
Dozens of people saw the van going off the road and made their way gingerly down the hill to help. Police and ambulances converged on the roadside.
Rabbi Neugroschel was helped out of the van. He was dazed and bleeding slightly, but once outside the van he was able to walk unassisted. One man took him aside and said, “The police will be here shortly. Whatever you do, don’t tell them you fell asleep. Otherwise, they will suspend your license, give you a big fine and the insurance company won’t pay your claim.”
Within minutes a policeman was on the scene, and he asked Rabbi Neugroschel what had happened.
Rabbi Neugroschel said, “Officer, I have been driving for nineteen years. I never had an accident and never fell asleep at the wheel. However, I was up all last night at the hospital with my father-in-law, who is very sick. I guess I was just so exhausted that I must have fallen asleep at the wheel.”
The officer looked at him, at the van and at the roadside above. “The misvah saved your life,” he said. “I won’t issue you a summons. Refuah shelemah to your father-in-law.”
Rabbi Neugroschel thanked the officer, who went on to write his report.
Reprinted from the ArtScroll book – “Echoes of the Maggid”.
