We finally got to Yerushaliyim! Our first time in over a year and a half.
A friend of mine was nice enough to lend me his car, so I took the boys there to do some much needed shopping, and my wife and girls came in by train.
Of course, as I'm driving down Route 6, the main tollway that connects the north to the center/south, I start feeling the car start to wobble. Yep, that's right! ANOTHER flat tire! (What are the chances?) However, unlike the previous time, my muscles grew like the Hulk, nearly ripping my shirt open, which enabled me to lift up the car, change the tire, and carry on as if nothing happened.
Unfortunately, my wife was not with me, so she could not witness it herself, but thankfully, I have three witnesses. Finally! A chance to redeem myself!
However, I must admit, this Shabbos I ended up finding another woman in my life.
I made a surprise visit to a friend who is marrying off his first son. When I got there, I was introduced to his in-laws, a South African couple in their late seventies/early eighties. When they got up to go to their apartment to lay down, my friend offered my services to sing them lullabies. They asked which ones I knew, and I replied, "Only Sinatra". The husband, a bit surprised, asked which ones I like, and we compared some of our favourites. Then, his wife took her husband by the arm and said, "I prefer to 'do it My Way' and go to sleep. Let's go.", and led her husband out the door.
Any lady who can think so quickly with Sinatra, has my vote for whatever office she wants!
"He does justice for the orphan and the widow" (Devarim 10: 18).
Rav Shach explained that consoling a widow does not necessarily require a great investment. Often, a few nice words here and there do wonders.
One scholar recalls seeing Rav Shach climbing the stairs of a building, when he was close to the age of 100. He quickly learned that Rav Shach was visiting the wife of a former student who recently passed away. Not wanting to miss out on a learning opportunity, this scholar followed Rav Shach in.
For twenty minutes Rav Shach sat with the widow and her children, telling over lighthearted stories of his childhood. He was even successful in getting the kids to laugh. After he left, the mood of the apartment was somewhat lifted.
While of course there is a specific mitzvah to console a widow, there is certainly a similar mitzvah to help lift up others who are down. We think that a good word here and there doesn't mean much, but for some, it could mean a whole new day. A friend of my wife's (Woman A) was told by Woman B, that whenever Husband A spoke on the phone with Husband B, the children of Husband B knew that he was speaking to Husband A, because he would always leave the call laughing and feeling happy.
Husband A had no clue about this. He was simply calling his friend to see how he was doing. He had no idea that he was giving him a boost and changing his day.
It's amazing what type of reward a person can get just by simply saying a few good words. It can change another's day, which can and will have a domino effect on others, earning that original person much merit and helping bring a little more peace in the world.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!