Here is a story which made an impression on me and it is a perfect intro to the holiday of Pesach. A few days ago, I was on 47th street in the jewelry district, where I used to work, and I met a friend of mine, Robert. Robert related an incident that happened to him, maybe fifteen years ago. He was working and, as many of us sometimes experience, one day had to come up with $5000 to pay some bills.
Robert left his office early to go downtown where he had a number of clients who owed him money, which he hoped to collect. As he walked to 48th St. and 6th avenue to take the train, he was stopped by a man who needed some help.
Us New Yorkers are experts in reading people- we know who to stop for or who to ignore. This person, though not a bum, would definitely be considered one with major psychological issues. Sounds familiar right, everyone knows a few of those.
Showing Robert an envelope full of coins, he told Robert in a slow weird voice “I found this in the street here and I tried to call the number and name found on the envelope and return it several times, but every time I ask for Dr. Kennedy, they hang up. Hey! all I want to do is be a good human being and return it. You look like an honest guy, can help me?”
It was very obvious what had happened. Dr. Kennedy thought it was some weirdo calling, so he hung up.
The man then asked Robert if he can call and try to get through to Dr. Kennedy. Robert said to himself “there is no harm in that” and proceeded to call.
Robert did indeed get through to Dr. Kennedy who asked for Robert to describe some of the rare coins which were in the envelope. They were very expensive and Kennedy said that he was about to place an ad in the New York Times’ lost and found.
Dr. Kennedy said “I am busy with patients, please tell the man to take a cab to the upper west side where I work, and to top it off, I’ll give him a $700 reward for the return of the coins.
Robert, still on the phone with the Dr., relayed the message to the man, who said “I’m not going, I’m too scared”. Kennedy then said to Robert “ok, then why don’t you come with him and I’ll give you half the reward”. Still the man was reluctant to go and maintained “I’m not going with you, I’m scared”.
There was a long pause. Finally, Kennedy gave a suggestion to Robert – “why don’t you give $150 to the man and come here yourself and I’ll give you the reward”.
He thought about it and rationalized, “it would seem that everybody gains, and not only that, I’m on a time clock to come up with the $5000, this would be a perfect start in the process of reaching my goal of the day.
He gave the man $180- chai. The weird man looked to the left and then to the right, and he was gone.
When Robert reached Kennedy’s building on the West side, he asked the doorman “can I take the short cut to the side office entrance which Kennedy described to get to his office?” The doorman laughed. He said “you’re the 5th person this month to come looking for Dr. Kennedy. There is no Dr. Kennedy. It’s all a scam”.
Robert told me “I had been had, they tricked me. At first I laughed and said ‘wow what a performance’, then, though, I got a little upset. I said ‘why did G-d do this to me? He knows I have to raise $5000. I not only lost $180, I also lost precious time’”. “I then started to think with my head and not with my emotions, Robert continued, and I shrugged it off as “this is what G-d wants, it is what it is.”
Robert got an appraisal for the coins, they were worth one dollar!
Ten years after the incident, Robert was chauffeuring a famous mukubal (a Kaballist) who was going from community to community. He had plenty of time with the Mekubal and discussed various issues. He also mentioned this little incident. Later, while they were still in the car, it was quite and the Rabbi was thinking. Then the Rabbi said, “if you ever see that weird man again, give him another $180″.
It seemed that the Rabbi was implying that if he would have taken the route downtown at that moment, he would have had devastating results. The “unfortunate” and not lucrative diversion saved him from hardship. Was the Rabbi trying to make him feel better by suggesting the alternative? It didn’t seem like it . Perhaps the Mekubal knows something we don’t know. We can all be skeptical about a kabalist. Still, one has to believe that everything is from G-d. And this is true no matter who tells it to you.
G-d said to slaughter and eat the animals that the Egyptians called God. The Holy One said “nothing will happen to you”. Klal Yisroel did it anyways, even though it made no sense. This is belief.
G-d said to jump into the waters when the Egyptians were chasing after the Jews. Nachshon jumped in because he believed. The waters split. Did it make sense? NO. That is belief.
One has to have faith. Many unexplained occurrences can happen throughout the course of the day. New York is a colorful place with a lot of interesting characters. One has to believe that everything is from G-d!!
Leave a Reply