Our Flat Tire Near Lebanon, Hours Before Shabbos

By Levi Katz

Spending “the year of corona” in Israel has definitely been a challenge. There have been continuous lockdowns and many restrictions, but overall it has been a very delightful experience.

Recently, our Yeshiva Tzeirei Hashluchim in Tzfas went on Friday Mivtzoim for the first time this year, so we knew that we would be able to go on Mivtzoim over Purim but we weren’t sure how it would look.

As Purim was approaching, we were still unsure about how Purim Mivtzoim would work. Usually, Chabad Bochurim in Israel go to Army bases to read Megillah and dance with the soldiers, but with corona and all the restrictions from the Government, we weren’t sure what to expect.

With only seven days left until Purim, the government announced that going to Army bases would be allowed, however with many restrictions – amongst other restrictions only four to five people were to be allowed in the base.

Although this wasn’t the normal Purim Mivtzoim for Israel we were still very thankful that we had the opportunity to enter the bases and bring the joy of Purim to the Israeli soldiers who constantly keep Eretz Yisroel safe, thus we immediately got to work.

Being that only four to five Bochurim were allowed in the bases, we decided that some Shluchim here in Tzeirei Hashluchim Tzfas would rent cars to drive the Bochurim, myself included.

The first night was amazing, we went to 2 army bases and greeted the soldiers who were very happy to see us. We read Megillah, gave out Mishloach Manos and brought joy to everyone there.

The next day as well started off great, we went to an army base near Lebanon, danced with the soldiers, read Megillah, sang songs, and put on Tefillin with almost all the men on the base.

From there we went to a city in Lebanon called A’Gar where approximately 10 Israeli Soldiers are stationed. Being that they did not have a Megillah in A’Gar we had to return to the first base to borrow a Megillah.

After leaving the first base this time with the Megillah in hand, still on a complete high from the experience, all of a sudden we hit a pothole in the road that punctured our tire. With no choice, we pulled over to the side of the road. With only a few hours left until Shabbos, we did not know what to do.

Luckily, when renting the car, I received the only car in the lot with a spare tire. When the car rental employee showed me the spare tire when I picked up the car, I laughed to myself thinking that I would never need a spare tire, Now at this moment, I couldn’t be more thankful. But we still needed to change the tire, which us five Yeshivah Bochurim didn’t even know where to start.

After taking a minute to gather my thoughts I realized that we’re only 5 minutes away from an army base, surely there is a soldier on the base that knows how to change a tire.

I called my friend Matan, who I had been in touch with about reading the Megillah on base, and lo and behold they had two soldiers who knew how to change a tire. Around 25 minutes later the two soldiers pulled up, who were more than happy to help us out.

During the 45 minute saga of changing the tire, the Bochurim couldn’t have had a more positive spirit. They stopped every car that drove down the road offering them to put on Tefillin, giving out Mishloach Manos and just adding a little Purim joy to the driver’s day.

One middle-aged man who was stopped by the Bochurim excitedly accepted the offer to put on Tefillin and insisted that we take a picture with the beautiful snow-topped Har Chermon in the background, which immediately led to an exciting spirited Purim dance.

Eventually, the soldiers finished changing the tire, and Boruch Hashem we were able to make it back to Yeshivah just in time for the Purim Seudah.

Some might say that this is the epitome of a ‘Hashgacha Protis story’, there is no doubt that everything that happened to us on that day was in fact Hashgacha Protis. The fact that we got the one car in the lot which had a spare tire and the fact that we got the flat tire conveniently 5 minutes away from an army base was all Hashgacha Protis.

But Hashgacha Protis is more than that, There is a common misconception that Hasgacha Protis is only when something that seems bad happens but then has a positive outcome. True that a situation like that is Hashgacha Protis, however, Hashgacha Protis is so much deeper than that – everything that happens in this world whether it is good or not is Hashgacha Protis, meeting an old friend on the street, something that you won’t necessarily think twice about is Hashgacha Protis. In our situation, we were blessed that Hashem chose to show us albeit a part of the Hashgacha Protis in a revealed way.

May this be a reminder to everyone that Hashgacha Protis is everywhere, nothing happens by chance, we must learn to enjoy and appreciate every moment and every situation that Hashem sends our way.