THe Jewish Way of Saying Goodbye

                                                                                 

 A Jew saying goodbye goes like this:

Jewish guest: "Goodbye, Thank you so much for having me!"

20 minutes later

Jewish guest: "Ok, now I'm going. Goodbye everyone."

40 minutes later

Jewish guest: "Wow, how did it get so late. Goodbye, thanks again. I had so much fun!"

1 hour later

Jewish guest: "Bye!"

A few weeks ago, we  finished our meal and our guest, Yoni got up to leave and say goodbye. Each time he  attempted to leave, another conversation held him back and kept him intrigued. He started saying goodbye at 10:00 PM, but only actually left at 12:00 AM. We walked our guest to the door and down the driveway. Suddenly we heard two girls from across the street asking for help. They were lost. They were from out of town and visiting for Shabbos. We helped the girls and gave them directions to their hostesses. Had Yoni left earlier, we would not have been there to help the girls. 

THE WALLS HAVE EARS

One winter, Yankle Baier and his family were vacationing in the state of Vermont for a few days. They stayed at a motel on the first floor. Since it was Chanukah, they brought a Menorah along. After a full day of sightseeing, they arrived back at the motel. Yankle opened the curtains to light the menorah by the window as he does every year, to proclaim the miracle to others (pirsumé nisa). His wife Frayda, however, told him to close the curtains, as they hadn't asked permission and someone outside might tell the front desk and tell on them to put it out, being a fire hazard. Frayda told Yankle that it’s perfectly all right to light just for their family. Yankle knew she was right, and listened to her, but was disappointed he couldn't  put it in the window.  Closing the curtains, Yankle put the menorah on the dining room table and lit it.  The next morning, he was in the motel lobby when a man approached him to wish him a happy Chanukah. The man took Yankle's hand and began shaking it repeatedly while  thanking him over and over for what he had done for him. Yankle had never met the man before and had no idea what he was talking about, so Yankle asked him to explain. The man told Yankle that the previous evening when he was in his motel room, he suddenly heard the words to the Chanukah blessings being chanted in Hebrew. He had completely forgotten that it was Chanukkah! The man went out to a hardware store, bought a candle, and lit it in his room. He was thanking Yankle for reminding him it was Chanukkah! 

 

Yankle thought of Avraham Avinu and the three Malachim (angels) who came to visit him. Avraham wanted to fulfill the mitzvah of Hachanas Orchim (inviting guests) so much, that Hashem finally decided to send him some. Here too, Hashem saw Yankles disappointment and enabled him to fulfill  pirsumé nisa the optimum way, showing him His great love for every Jew.

An important lesson was learned that day. Pirsumé nisa does not necessarily have to come about through others seeing the miracle. If Hashem wants, He can cause it to come about through others "hearing" of the miracle! That Chanukah, Yankle understood the expression "the walls have ears" in a "new" light!

A Chanukah Miracle

http://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/2805897/jewish/Car-Menorah-Leads-the-Way-Quite-Literally-in-the-Case-of-a-Man-Lost-on-Shabbat.htm

Blue Culture

Eva, a medical assistant in a doctors office was taking a throat culture on Benny, a young boy of six.
"Come sweety, open wide. It's going to be a quick tickle on the back of your throat."
As Eva peered into Benny's mouth she noticed his mouth was covered in blue.
"Looks like you just ate something yummy that was blue."
Benny licked his lips. "I just had a Popsicle," he smiled.
Eva swabbed a q-tip on the back of Benny's throat and placed it in the liquid on the stand.
Minna, Benny's older sister was having a throat culture done as well. Eva quickly did Minna's and put it down next to Benny's culture.
She was about to label it when a patient came from the waiting room to ask Eva a question. She turned around to answer. The patient thanked her and left.
When Eva turned back to the culture stand she let out a gasp.
"Oh no! Now I don't know which one is Benny's culture and which is Minna's. Oh my, now I'm going to have do their cultures again. Before she threw the cultures out she lifted them to examine. She smiled when she saw the blue colored q-tip.
"This one is definitely Benny's culture! Usually I hate when kids eat before they have a culture done. Boy, am I happy he had that blue Popsicle!

A Game of Checkers

Have you ever played a game of checkers?
Have you ever lost?
Have you ever won?
Have you lost but set the board up to play and try again?
Have you ever felt that victory of making it across the board?
Have you felt that victory of 'getting passed' your opponent?
You've felt that triumph!
You've felt that pride!
The first round you may have lost.
But you've laid out your pieces.
You played, you tried again, you won!
You have grown.
You pushed past.
You have risen!
Victory!

A Trip to the Grocery Store

Imagine this scene.
 A husband and wife are coming home from a HUGE shopping trip at the SUPER Grocery Store. They are laden down with LARGE grocery bags- at least ten in each hand, huge knapsacks stuffed with groceries on their backs, and behind them they are dragging an overflowing broken "Bubby" cart. - you know those, a cloth on some thin wires with two plastic wheels. Well, as they are slowly making their way to the bus stop, they see their bus approaching. The couple starts running, the wife looses her shoe in the street, the broken Bubby cart tips over, apples and cans start rolling, cars are honking, people are running- It's quite a scene. Finally they get to the bus stop and with pulling, lifting and pushing they get on the bus. Whoops, they realized they were on the wrong bus. It was too late - the bus pulled out already. At the next bust stop they got off with all their bags, knapsacks and broken Bubby cart. After waiting and waiting their bus came. Once again they gathered all their things and got back on the bus.
"Wait! Stop the bus, we forgot a grocery bag at the bus stop," the wife yelled.
They schlepped from the bus to a train to another bus. On the fifth (or maybe it was sixth) bus, the couple sat down, arranged all their packages near them and let out a deep breath. Not even a second later a man tapped the husband on the shoulder and pointed to the corner of the broken Bubby cart. The husband and wife looked down and to their surprise they saw a river of something leaking out of the cart. The whole bus was starting to smell like Mango Crystal drink. They started unloading the whole Bubby cart all over the bus trying to get the broken bottle. It was a mess.Frozen chicken was under one seat. Fruits, vegetables, chocolate, the bus floor was covered. The wife started offering mango drink to the riders on the bus. But how were they going to clean up the mess of mango drink? The husband dug through the packages and pulled out a role of paper towel from the bottom.
"HP! WE BOUGHT PAPER TOWELS AT THE STORE!" he announced to the whole bus.
(Everyone started scrubbing)
P.S. No need to imagine this- its a true story!

WHY???

Sometimes I just don't understand. Why? Why? WHY? I ask over and over again.
Why me?
Why her?
Why not me?
Why him?
Why them?
Why now?
Why not now?
Why did this have to happen?
Why did'nt it happen?
Why  do You create pain Hashem? WHY?
Why can't everything just be perfect?
Why can we just get what we ask for?
Why struggle?
Why is it so hard?
Why do we have to work so hard?
Why Hashem? Why?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY? WHY? WHY?
Why?
What?
How?
What can we do to become closer to you Hashem?
How can we become better people?
What can we do to bring the Geulah?
How can we teach and spread your Torah?
How can we enlighten the world of your infinite greatness?
How can we take pain and become closer to You?
Hashem, Our loving and caring Father, everything that happens in this world, from the good times to the could of been better times are from You, and it's all out of your unconditional love. It's all part of a master plan, we can't even begin to understand. 
Why? I can't help but ask once more.
I have the answer.
Why, you ask?
Because Hashem cares and loves you so much!

No Apples?

Thursday night I was at my cousins, the Machlis's. Anyone that knows the name Machlis immediately thinks of the unbelievable Hachnosas Orchim they do. Every Shabbos their home is open to hundreds of guests. All walks of life enter their home and everyone feels loved and accepted. Thursday night you can imagine what goes on there. The whole house is bustling, cooking, peeling potatoes, and cleaning. There were seminary girls helping to cook. Yeshiva guys were schlepping hundreds of grocery bags into the house. The house was hectic, loud, fun, and busy. In midst of all the Shabbos preparations, one of the older Machlis children came over to me to ask me if I had an apple kugel recipe, I can make.
"Yes", I said.  "Would you like me to make it?"
"Yeah that would be amazing,you can get the apples from the back fridge."
I went to check the fridge- but there were no apples. I checked all three fridges, no apples.
I found my cousins to let them know- there were no apples!
"That's strange. I'm sure we bought. I guess there aren't any.OK, thanks anyways."
I left the Machlis's and went to visit a friend. An hour later when I came back to the Machlis's, my cousin came running over to me.
"You'll never guess what happened. Five minutes after you left we got a phone call from a neighbor we haven't spoken to in years. Basically she made an order from the grocery store. She ordered 60 potatoes, they made a mistake and instead of sending potatoes they sent 60 apples.
'I have nothing do do with these. I figured the Machlis's could use them."
A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. It was the neighbor delivering the apples!
The apple kugles came out delicious!

Forgotten Rugelach

Leaving his apartment on his way to the Shuk, Shmuel passed by his neighbor.
"Hey Eli, I'm going to do Erev Shabbos shopping in the Shuk, need anything?
"Thanks Shmuel, can you pick up some ru
gelach from Marzipan for me.
"It would be my pleasure, I'll see you later."
Shmuel waved goodbye and hopped on the bus headed towards the Shuk.
It was a short Erev Shabbos and Shmuel was zippping through the Shuk. He finished his shopping in record time and was back on the bus headed back home in less then 43 minutes.
Sitting back in his bus seat he felt someone tapping him on his shoulder.
"Hey Gedalia, long time no see! So nice to see you. What are you up to these days?"
Gedalia was a friend of Shmuel's from high school. They caught up with each others lives and the years they missed out on.
"Shmuel, I was just at the Shuk and as I was passing Marzipan I remembered the good old days when we would have their delicious rugelach every week. I bought a few packages, would you like a rugelah?"
Looking at the Rugelah in his hand Shmuel slapped his forehead. "Oh no! I completely forgot to buy a package for Eli."
"Here"Gedalia said, handing a package to Shmuel. "I only bought it for memories sake. Take this!"

Where The Paper Towel Lands

Here is a story that is proof that even a leaf falling from a tree has a purpose and a divine direction from Hashem.
Yocheved was on the last drop of toothpaste and was in need of more. She remembered buying an extra toothpaste a while back, but she could not find it anywhere. So on the top of her shopping list in BOLD letters she wrote TOOTHPASTE.
A few days later she was cleaning and washing her bathroom mirror when suddenly the paper towel she was holding in her hand slipped out and slowly floated to the floor. Since it was light, it floated back and forth (just like a leaf :)) and lightly landed inside the bottom drawer that was slightly open. Yocheved never uses that drawer. Bending down to pick up the paper towel she opened the drawer wider to get a quick glimpse of what she forgot was in the drawer. In the back corner buried under some junk she saw sticking out was TOOTHPASTE! Yocheved was so thankful she found toothpaste, and recognized that thanks to the paper towel that fell from her hand she was able to find it.
IT'S ALL HP!

HP? HP? HP!

"That's real HP" I said to my neighbor as we entered her house. (I met her outside on my way to the store to pick up eggs, HP she had a whole bunch in her fridge- I didn't need to schlep all the way to the store to pick up some eggs for my Kugel)

My neighbor had a guest staying at their house and appearently never heard the term HP!

"HP? My computer is HP" he said.

"HP! MY LIFE IS HP!" I responded out loud.

Pie

A few weeks ago I was doing my grocery shopping and I found myself in the baking isle. Throwing in my wagon chocolate chips, flour, cupcake holders, my eye caught a stack of pie crusts. I picked one up and threw it in my wagon. I have absolutely no idea what possessed me to do that. I NEVER bought a pie crust before; I never even baked anything with a pie crust before. I'm not even allowed to eat gluten! So why did I buy it? I have no idea! But in the back of my mind I thought to myself that I'll make a dessert with it one day and it’s good to have in the house. 

This past Erev Shabbos, I got a call from my neighbor asking to borrow................PIE CRUST! (HP)

The Story Of My Lost Tehillim

I lost my Tehillim. It's the one I had for several years. The one that was small, torn, pages creased, and very old looking. Which is why I loved it. I lost it in Meron.  The girl I was standing next to, (who's elbow was in my face). I didn't care though, because I was stepping on her toes. (Or maybe it was the lady's behind me.) She asked if I had a Tehillim she could borrow. My bag was smushed between two ladies and it took me a few minutes to get my bag unstuck. As soon as I lent her my Tehillm, I had this feeling I would never see it again. (I was right) I was pushed by a wave of people and lost sight of the girl with my Tehillim.
The following day I was by the Kosel, fishing through my bag for my Tehillim. After three minutes of digging in my Savta Simcha bag, I rememberd my Meron story. I got up and looked around for a Tehillim. The moment I turned I saw a friend of mine I had not seen in months. I had been meaning and wanting to get in touch with her since I got to Israel. Had I not gone looking for a Tehillim I would not have been able to reconnect with her. She was in the back about to leave. I had just got to the Kosel and was not planning on leaving yet.

(I really miss my Tehillim! Although this is but a small story...it still is a reminder.....Hashem is running the world!)

WHAT'S FAITH?

A young mother taken away, leaving seven young children, orphaned. An illness that plagued her for the last several months has ripped her away from her young family and small children. Now they remain alone.

And if that’s not enough:

A father of a proud family, taken too soon to see his all children wed. Some young, some grown, yet they are all his children, now fatherless.  Taken away before he was able to see his first grandchild. 

Is this not enough? Can there be more pain then this? It hurts. We‘ve had enough pain. It’s time to stop! ENOUGH!

But no, G-d has other plans.

Yes, He says. There will be more pain. There will be more for you to suffer.

A mere few days passed since their passing, when G-d decides to strike once again.

Again- the dreaded news, the dreadful illness, this time to two fathers. Fathers of loving families, friends and prominent members in our community.  The news spread, prayers are being said. They have been diagnosed with cancer. Now these fathers focus and life has been instantly switched from being surrounded by their young children and homes are now focused on hospitals, tests, pain, and G-d forbid the fear of death.

 Hashem. Does this make sense to you?  Do you see their pain? You are ripping apart families. It doesn’t fit, it doesn’t make sense. I don’t understand.

I wish to understand your ways Hashem, and believe its all part of your complex master plan- But I will not ask why. For if I do know the answer to “Why?” that is not called faith.

Hashem, it’s with this fierce pain in my heart, I accept and know that You are a loving and caring father. And that I would like to call FAITH.

Please Daven for: Chaim Dovid Reuven Ben Chana Rochel and Eliezer Avraham Tzvi Ben Pessa

IT'S ALL FROM HASHEM (even the traffic)

Here is a familiar scenario most of us,  all of us have gone through. It's just a reminder that every and any situation we are in, is all from Hashem. On my way to work today, I was stuck in traffic. Never mind, it wasn't traffic. The highway turned in to one huge parking lot for an hour. No one was moving, and I was clearly going to be late for work. I started to get really nervous. I felt the blood in me rising. Why can't these cars just move?......Why is that bus just sitting there?......Oh Hashem I'm going to be really late......These annoying drivers......Why can't they just move already. I kept looking at my watch every half a minute.....They are not going to be happy when I walk in late to work......Oh I wish this car could just fly.....UCCCHHHH........MOVE ALREADY.....WHY ARE MY STUCK IN TRAFFIC!? I looked out the window at the cars and buses who were bumper to bumper and not moving an inch. I smiled and thought to myself: This is not all the drivers problems. This is all from Hashem. There is nothing I can do. It's all HP! Hashem put all these cars here and caused this traffic. Hashem wants me to be stuck in traffic right now. ( I have no idea why and I wish I did) I felt myself relax. IT'S ALL HP! Everything, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING is from Hashem! Hashem has a plan. Breathe out, smile, sit back, relax! Hashem is taking care of you!

 

Blood Donating

Tuesday Afternoon 3:37: Penina bumps in to her friend Etti at the Kotel. While talking and catching up Penina mentions to Etti that she wants to donate blood while she's in Israel.
Wednesday Night 7:30: Staying by her brother on her Pesach vacation,Penina, feeling she ate too much Matzah over Pesach decides to go walking.

Instead of turning right out of her brothers house like she usually does, Penina decided to take a tour of the neighborhood and turned left.
Penina was only just two buildings away from her brother when she saw a Magen David Edom blood drive truck. On a lamp pole she saw a sign that they were having a blood drive for the next hour in the Shul that was located on the same street as her brothers. Penina walked in , filled in a few forms, and donated blood!
HP!

HP @ the Cleaners

Does it ever happen that you need to send your favorite skirt to the dry cleaner but you love the skirt so much and wear it every day. So when are you supposed to send it in to get clean?
The other day as I was walking, I was thinking that exactly! I needed to get my favorite skirt cleaned (I wear it every day and was wearing it at that present moment.) I passed by a dry cleaners store and asked them if they were open and if I can bring in my skirt. (they were about to close)
 One problem - I was wearing the skirt.
HP- I realized I had an extra skirt on me. I slept out the night before and had my overnight bag with me.
"Excuse me," I asked the sales lady. "I want to have my skirt cleaned. How much is it?
"Which skirt?"
"This one," I said pointing to the skirt I was wearing.
"We are having a sale today- half off!"
"Great! Do you mind if I just go to the back of your store so I can change?"
I got a whole tour of behind the scenes of the local cleaners. I was able to give them my skirt right before they closed and I only had to pay half the price-HP! (and my skirt was ready the very next day!)

Shabbos In Tzfat

I usually work on Fridays and can not travel far and usually stay in Yerushalayim. This past Friday (thanks to the Jerusalem Marathon) I didnt have work! I decided (last minute of course) that I really wanted to spend Shabbos in the Holy City of Tzfat. Thursday night I called a friend of mine in Tzfat and asked her if she knew of a place for me to eat and sleep. My friend told me she would make a few calls and get back to me. Friday morning at 10:17 she called me to tell me she had a place for me to sleep but no meals. The last bus leaving from Tzfat to Yerushalyim was at 11:00. I was in Ramot and needed to get to the bus stop which was twenty minutes away. What should I do? Should I just go? But I don't have any meals. But I really wanted to go! I decided to just get on the bus anyways. Hashem's going to help me.
I quickly gathered all my things, threw them into a bag and ran to the bus stop. I got there just in time. I hopped on to the bus on the way to Tzfat, with a place to sleep, and no meals.
An hour into the trip my phone started ringing.
It was my friend in Tzfat!
"Hi Devorah! I found all your meals for you!"
IT'S ALL HP!
Baruch Hashem it was an amazing Shabbos!

(My stop was the last stop in Tzfat. Right before  my bus stop, the driver asked me and another passenger if we minded if he made a short stop at the Egged bus station quickly. We both didn't mind. He went down a road off the bus route to the station. When we were heading back to the main road, we saw a passenger who had just gotten off the stop before, flagging the bus down. -He forgot his hat and Teffilin on the bus. To quote the bus driver "HAKOL M'SHAMAYIM!")

HP BUS STORY #2

http://m.wbaltv.com/news/Woman-saves-MTA-bus-after-driver-has-emergency/-/17427430/19111400/-/14c73ww/-/index.html

Forgotten Bag

Rachel and Shira were on the 417 bus heading towards Ramat Beit Shemesh for Shabbos. On the bus they met Gila and Elisheva, two friends of theirs from camp. It was mini camp reunion on the 417! They caught up with each others lives and exchanged numbers, promising and hoping  they would keep in touch while they were in Israel. Nearing the first bus stop in Beit Shemesh Gila and Elisheva wished Rachel and Shira a "Good Shabbos" and got off the bus. As the bus continued through the streets of Beit Shemesh and headed towards Rachel and Shira's bus stop, Rachel's phone rang. It was Gila.
"Hi Rachel, It's Gila are you still on the bus?"
"Yeah, we are, we're about to get off." Rachel said.
"Oh phew, can you check my seat, I think I left my bag there."
"Yeah sure, hold on."
Rachel walked to the back of the bus where Gila and Elisheva had been sitting. On the seat was Gila's bag.
"Gila, yeah its here, I'll take it with me and you can pick it up from where we are staying."
"Rachel, thank you so much! This is real HP!"
"IT'S ALL HP!"