Για να το διαβάσετε στα ελληνικά, πατήστε εδώ
Many of you may have heard about that an El Al flight from New York landed instead in Athens last Friday. The reason was because Shabbat was approaching and besides for the fact that many Jews that keep the Shabbat were on the plane, El Al's policy is not fly on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.
We go word of it a little before the plane landed in Athens that we would need to prepare all what is needed for 150 people to celebrate the Shabbat. From food and wine to a Sefer Torah, prayer books etc at the hotel where they would stay.
How much time did we have to prepare? 3 hours! Many of those in the flight but also colleagues from other countries, friends, family and even the Jewish and Israeli media called us after Shabbat to ask us to explain how we managed to do it in such a short time.
While growing up and studying, you learn many principles and instructions about life but it's all in theory. The real test is later, when you have the opportunity to apply them and make them a reality in your life. The Talmud tells us "Lefum gamla shichna", literally, “according to the camel is the weight”, which means that the owner puts a load on a camel according to its strength and abilities. This parable teaches us that G-d never gives us a challenge that we are not able to overcome. As He knows us very well, He makes sure that we have the tools to succeed before giving us the challenge.
It wasn’t by chance that we were able to prepare in such a short time a Shabbat that all the participants as well as the media agreed was wonderful. During all these years that we are in Greece, we had various experiences and happenings, which prepared us for such a challenge and, thank G-d, when the moment came, we were able to succeed.
When something happens to us, it’s very important, to remember that nothing is given to us that we cannot face. Life until now has prepared us for this moment and G-d has made sure we have all the necessary tools for us to succeed.
I would like to finish with the email one friend sent us: “I will not ask you how you managed, because you and Nehama have taught us that when something needs to happen, when someone is in need, you don’t ask many questions, you just do it”.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Mendel and Nehama Hendel