This week, we said goodbye to Yarin Ashkenazi who we hosted for 10 days as a guest on our Belev Echad trip.
Yarin is a sergeant in the Givati Brigade and he was injured 18 months ago when a terrorist rammed his car into him at 70 miles an hour. Yarin was able to shoot at the car, causing it to overturn, but it still crashed into him, injuring him severely in the head and legs. The terrorist then exited his car and went after the other soldiers with an axe. Fortunately, one of the other soldiers was able to shoot and neutralize him, preventing more injuries and deaths.
At the end of the week, I asked Yarin what had been the highlight of his trip. I assumed he would choose the helicopter ride, motorcycle trip, or one of New York’s famous tourist attractions, but he surprised me by choosing our visit to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens.
“It was a very moving experience,” he explained.
“What did you pray for?” I asked.
“I prayed for a blessing to be strong in Torah and mitzvot.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes! For the first time since my injury, here on the Belev Echad trip, I kept Shabbat fully! I did not answer my phone or check my emails. I kept Shabbat 100%.”
I was astounded!
Here is a man who has suffered tremendously over the last year and a half. When he arrived at the hospital after the attack, the doctor’s tried to revive him three times without success. The head doctor indicated they would try once more before giving up, and it was that final time that brought him back to life. After that he had to undergo tremendously risky surgery, where the doctors reattached his skull. He had to re-learn how to walk, talk, eat, laugh, smile, and perform basic daily functions that every child knows how to do.
And when presented with the opportunity to pray at the Rebbe’s grave and ask for a blessing, what does he choose? He asks for strength in Torah and mitzvot!
On Simchat Torah 49 years ago the Lubavitcher Rebbe told a story. He had received a letter from a young student in Russia, who was stuck behind the iron curtain, persecuted for being Jewish. In the letter, he asked the Rebbe to bless him with the ability to properly focus on his prayers.
As he told the story, the Rebbe cried profusely. The boy did not beg for an easier life. Even though he was suffering tremendously in Russia, he didn’t beg for freedom. All he asked was for help in serving G-d better.
I think the Rebbe received another such letter from Yarin last week!
Next week we will celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, when we will receive the Torah for the 3328th time. This is an opportunity to emulate Yarin, and ask Hashem to grant us strength and clarity in our understanding of the Torah, and excitement and motivation in our fulfillment of the mitzvot.
This week I met a true hero.
A few weeks ago we took the kids to Six Flags, anticipating a fun family day. Because it was Passover, thousands of others had the same idea and the place was jam packed. We found a parking spot quite far from the entrance, and my wife asked me to look around and make a note of where we'd parked, which I did. We were in section three, near the trees, far from the entrance. Easy! Or so I thought...
This week the internet went crazy, and I mean crazy! WhatsApp, which is used by over one billion people, went down for two hours, and people were panicking.