Words From Rabbi White

Dear Chevra Shaas/Shearith Israel

A BEAUTIFUL STORY

A friend just sent me this story. I was moved by it, and said to myself that I must send it you:

The son returned to London from Israel after Sukkos.

He boarded the plane and looked for his seat.

He saw that his assigned seat was next to a woman.

Gently, he asked her if she would mind switching seats to sit next to another woman, so that a man could sit beside him.

She humiliated him for even making the request and refused to move.

The young man, a Vizhnitz Chassid, did not make a fuss and did not respond to her—if it wasn’t meant to be, so be it.

From the back, a non-religious woman approached and told him that she was deeply moved by how seriously he took this matter.

She offered to switch seats with him—she would sit next to the woman, and he could sit next to a man.

She also asked him for one more favor: "I have a daughter who has been kidnapped in Gaza. Please, I want you to pray for her every day, that she comes out of there healthy and whole."

Since then, the Chassid prayed for her every single day. The girl’s name is Emily Tehila bat Amanda Francis, who was released the other day.. 

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We read this week of the first 7 makkot, up to “barad.” 

This Shabbat, we bless the month of Shevat. We look forward to the return of many more captives this month. 

The molad will be Wednesday morning, 11 minutes and 17 halaqim after 6.

The haftarah is from Ezekiel. He foretells that the time will come when the people of Israel will dwell securely on the land, build houses, and plant vineyards We know that over the past year, farmers have suffered greatly. We pray that the land will blossom as it had before Oct.7.

Yaakov Haimovici is sponsoring the kiddush in honour of his bar mitsvah day, and the freeing of the hostages!!

This coming Friday, 2 Shevat, I observe yahrzeit for my father, Shmuel ben Menachem. May his neshama have aliya. 

Shabbat shalom, let’s hear good news from Israel.

Rabbi Menahem White