Rebbetzin Sarah Meisels
Perfect Timing
וירא בלעם כי טוב בעיני ד' לברך את ישראל
And Bilaam saw that it was good in Hashem’s eyes to bless Israel… (Bamidbar 24:1)
As I have consistently done for a number of years, every summer I come to America from Israel. It was during one of my visits that my mother a”h was not doing well, and appeared to be taking a turn for the worse. With my family members alternating to visit her, the time came when it was my turn. That was one issue which preoccupied my mind at the moment.
Aside from that, I was contacted by Mrs. Gottlieb from the Shalhevet Organization. An organization founded in Boro Park by Rabbi Ezriel Tauber and Rav Shimshon Pincus zt”l, the intent is to provide Jewish women with an avenue to grow in Yiddishkeit and gain inspiration. Aside from a large library of CDs which can be borrowed, speeches are given and classes are held on an array of topics.
It was around the same time that my mother was not doing too well that Mrs. Gottlieb asked me to deliver a series of lectures every Tuesday. Agreeing to do so, I went on to speak about the importance of the Jewish home, the power of Tefillah and Divine Providence. It was the following Tuesday that I intended to speak about the power of answering Amen.
But then my mother was admitted into the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Knowing that I would need to look after my mother, I realized that I would be unable to give the class. Calling Mrs. Gottlieb, I explained my situation and apologized for the last minute cancellation. “You have to come!” Mrs. Gottlieb tried to convince me. “There will be a few hundred women waiting.” Reiterating that my mother was in the hospital, I was not getting too far. “I will even send an ambulance to take you back and forth from the hospital,” Mrs. Gottlieb kindly said. “You will be able to return immediately after the lecture.” I continued to remain adamant that I remain with my mother and not leave her even for a short period, but then Mrs. Gottlieb finally convinced me. “If you speak, it will be a zechut (source of merit) for your mother to have a refuah sheleima (complete recovery).” As I heard that, I could not say no. And so, I finally acquiesced.
Telling the nurse that I would return in an hour, I quickly made my way over to where the class was being held. Speaking about the impact of reciting Amen, as soon as I finished, I was taken back to the hospital by a member of Hatzalah. I continued to stay with my mother until one o’clock in the morning, at which time I was forced to leave the ICU. Driving to my sister’s house to spent the night, I anticipated that I would return to the hospital the next morning to be with my mother.
As I awoke the next day, even before I started heading to the hospital, I received a phone call. It was a very close friend of mine. “Did you hear what happened last night?” “No,” I said. “I was in the hospital until very late.” “Did you notice who was sitting in the front row when you were speaking?” “I’m sorry, but I didn’t. There were a lot of women there.” “You didn’t see Rivki Biller?” my friend asked. “She, I did actually see,” I said. Rivki Biller was my sister’s classmate.
After returning from hearing me speak about the impact of responding Amen, Rivki was indelibly inspired. I had noted how the gematria (Hebrew numerical value) of Amen and malach (angel) are the same – 91 – signifying that every time a person answers Amen, an angel is created which protects the person.
Now let’s turn to Rivki Biller’s story.
It was later that night when Rivki was home with her husband that she came up with an idea. Having unfortunately lost a daughter, Rivki said to her husband, “You know what, let’s do something special with regard to saying Amen. Let us resolve to answer Amen to each other’s berachot with heartfelt concentration as a source of protection for our home and children.” My husband agreed to do so.
Shortly thereafter, I was thirsty and told my husband that I would take a drink and make a beracha out loud, whereupon he should answer Amen! And that is what we did.
Not too long afterwards, the phone rang. It was my son. He had been staying with us at our home, while the rest of his family was out in the country. “Mommy,” he said, “don’t worry.” As soon as I heard that, I knew I should start worrying. “Mommy, I’m okay, but I was in a car accident. I have to tell you that the car is totaled and not salvageable. When the ambulance arrived along with the police and looked at the current condition of the car, they guaranteed us that no one could have walked out alive. But then there I was alive, walking and breathing. ‘An angel must have come here and plucked you out of the car!’ the police affirmed. ‘There is simply no way we can make sense of your survival other than attribute it to a miracle.’”
After relating the details of this traumatizing incident, my son said, “Mommy, just wait at home. The police will bring me back.” Hearing that, Baruch Hashem, my son was safe, I went on to ask him one question which had been in the forefront of my mind. “What time did the accident occur?” “10:34 pm,” he said.
As soon as he said that, everything made sense. It was only earlier that day that I had heard about the greatness of Amen and how every utterance of this powerful word creates a protective malach. And indeed, later that night, my husband and I sat down together and looked to implement that which I learned. I remember the exact scenario. We were sitting in the kitchen when I made the beracha and he said Amen. But there was more to the scene. Our kitchen clock was facing right across from us.
And as I vividly remember, the minute my husband said Amen, the clock struck 10:34 pm.
Such is the power of Amen. It not only enables us to reaffirm our emunah in Hashem, but brings blessing and protection to our families, communities and world at large. That one little word holds endless potential for having the greatest of impacts. We would be wise to eagerly seek out every opportunity to answer a loud, resounding Amen. We can accomplish so much by doing so little.
