Little Yaeli bounced happily in the back seat of the car.
“We’re going to Zaidy and Bubby’s house for Shabbos, we’re going to Zaidy and Bubby’s house for Shabbos!” she sang happily.
Yitzy looked up from his stopwatch.
“We’re going exactly 60 miles per hour,” he said.
“How can you tell?” asked Shimmy.
“It’s simple,” Yitzy replied. “I started the stopwatch when we passed the last mile marker and we passed the next mile marker exactly sixty seconds later. So if we traveled one mile in sixty seconds, that means in sixty minutes at that rate we would travel sixty miles. So sixty miles an hour.”
“Cool,” said Shimmy. “So if it took us a hundred seconds to get to the next mile marker we’d be going a hundred miles an hour? And a thousand seconds would be a thousand miles per hour?”
“No, how could that be?” Yitzy said. “We can’t be going faster if it takes us more time to get there.”
The boys looked up as the car slowed down noticeably.
“Totty, what’s happening?” asked Shimmy.
“I don’t know, there seems to be a lot of traffic,” Totty replied.
“But it’s almost Shabbos!” Basya said fearfully.
“Don’t worry, we still have three hours until shkiah,” said Totty.
The Greenbaums inched forward, slower and slower until traffic finally came to a complete standstill. Totty rolled down his window as he saw a police officer standing nearby on the side of the road.
“Excuse me?” he called. “Is there any way of knowing when the traffic will clear up?”
“Oh, it shouldn’t be long,” the police officer answered cheerfully. “Four hours, five hours, tops. Then you’ll be on your way.”
“Five hours?” Totty exclaimed. “What’s going on?”
“Well the governor increased the speed limit from 60 to 61 miles per hour today so the workers have to change all of the speed limit signs so everyone can get where they’re going faster.”
“What are we going to do for Shabbos?” asked Mommy nervously. “Are there any hotels around here?”
“Actually, there’s a hotel just a few minutes from here,” the policeman said. “Just pull your car over and take this next exit. Turn right on Abraham Avenue. The hotel will be on your right in about three miles.”
“Thank you officer,” Totty said, as they exited the highway.
Totty turned right on Abraham Avenue and a few minutes later they saw an elegant sign which read “The Abraham Avenue Pavilion Inn”.
“Wow....” whispered Basya as a gorgeous hotel overlooking a pristine lake came into view.
“Oh I don’t know,” Mommy said. “This place looks very expensive.”
“What choice do we have?” asked Totty as they parked the car. “And besides, Hashem takes care of our Shabbos expenses. There is no need to worry.”
The Greenbaums looked around in awe as they walked into the elegant hotel. The lobby even had a sumptuous looking buffet with cakes and baked goods!
“Hello, I’m Velvel,” said a man with a yarmulke from behind the front desk. “Welcome to the Abraham Avenue Pavilion Inn.”
“Hi,” Totty said. “Can we have the cheapest rooms for a family of six, please?”
Velvel tapped on his computer keyboard.
“Okay, I have a gorgeous lakeview suite with two adjoining rooms,” he said. “This includes a private dining area for your Shabbos meals (which are included), comfortable couches, and a spacious balcony overlooking the lake...”
“I’m sorry,” interrupted Totty. “But can we please have your cheapest rooms? We got stuck on the way to visit my parents and just need a simple place to stay for Shabbos.”
“Reb Yid,” Velvel said kindly. “There is no way I am letting you have a simple Shabbos. And these are our cheapest rooms, because you are staying in my hotel for free!”
“Free?” Totty said, dumbfounded. “Why?”
“Boruch Hashem I was extremely successful in business at a young age,” said Velvel. “So I decided to build a hotel to help out all of the Yidden who need a place to stay while traveling upstate.
“My father always pointed out how Avraham Avinu was rewarded with a child for going above and beyond to do hachnosas orchim. And the reason is because doing chessed is a way of showing how Hashem acts. Look out this window at the beautiful lake and trees. Look how Hashem created this entire world for our enjoyment. When we do the same and do chessed for other Yidden, we are following in the ways of Hashem on the highest level.”
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
• Why was the hotel free for the Greenbaums?
• How was Velvel following the ways of Hashem?
