Miracle @ The Ohel

As Shluchim near two very large convention centers, we often have the privilege of hosting guests from all over the world for Shabbos. That is how we met Reuven (not his real name), a doctor from Long Island.

At the Shabbos table, Reuven told us that he is originally from Chile. When I asked him if he was connected with Chabad there, he replied, “I began learning about my Yiddishkeit from Chabad. Then I left Chabad. Recently, I became closer to Chabad again, because of a miracle from the Rebbe.” Of course,we were all ears.

“My wife and I had two beautiful children, and we wanted more. We waited and prayed, to no avail. After nine or so years, we visited the best doctor in this field, who told us to be happy with the children we have, as there was no way we would have any more.

“I go to work in Manhattan every morning by train. One day, I decided to take my car. On my way home, I encountered a heavy rain. Not being well-acquainted with the route, and with limited vision, I lost my sense of direction. I drove around in circles and could not find my way. Eventually, I recognized a street name – Francis Lewis Boulevard. I believed this street would lead me to my neighborhood, so I continued on it until I came to a dead end. I had to go right or left. I had no idea which way to go.

“Suddenly, out of nowhere, I noticed a chossid standing on the corner. I rolled down my window and asked him if he knew where I could get the highway to Long Island. He didn’t, but said, ‘There’s a Chabad House here. Why don’t you inquire inside?’ I got out in the cold rain and knocked on the door of the Chabad House. In response to my request for directions, the chossid inside handed me a slip of paper. Back in my car, I looked at the paper and noticed that it had directions listed to all the different highways. What Chabad House is so organized, I wondered, with directions prepared to all the highways? And then I saw the word – Ohel.

“Oh, this is the Ohel! I had never visited the Ohel, and never intended to visit to the Ohel. But there I was on a cold and rainy night, sitting in my car near the Ohel. If Hashem brought me here, I thought to myself, maybe I should go in. I got back out of my car, knocked on the door again, and asked about the procedures of davening at the Ohel. The chossid explained what to do. I went out into the rain and stood at the Ohel for quite a while, all alone in the quiet of the night, and I davened to Hashem in this very holy place, the resting place of a great tzadik, for everything I could think of.

“Six months later my wife was pregnant, and on Erev Shevuos, 5770, we were blessed with a baby boy. We felt that Dovid would be the perfect name for a Shevuos baby, and we also felt blessed with this wonderful brachah, so we named our son Dovid Boruch. We were very grateful and happy beyond words.

“Gimmel Tammuz approached, and we were encouraged to return to the Ohel to thank the Rebbe for interceding for us with Hashem, who gave us the wonderful blessing of our son. My wife waited in the long line and prepared theTehillim she would read, knowing she would not have much time in the Ohel. Soon after she entered the Ohel, she was immersed in her prayers when suddenly the pages in her Tehillim blew and left her looking at a different kapitel. She was looking at chapter 144, and the words that now stared her in the face were “L’Dovid Boruch.” There was no doubt in her mind that the Rebbe had received her message of gratitude!

“If I hadn’t experienced all this first-hand,” Reuven concluded, “I would not believe it!”

Reuven is now a frequent visitor to the Ohel. He is learning Tanya along with his other Torah studies, and he feels that miracles like this should be publicized.

Rochel Berkowitz
Huntington Beach, CA

Reprinted with permission from the Nshei Chabad Newsletter - nsheichabadnewsletter.com