The mitzvah of kiddush Shem Shamayim is one that is ingrained in the heart and mind of every Jew. But as the Rabbinic saying goes, “It is often easier to die al kiddush Hashem than to live al kiddush Hashem.”
Rabbi Elazar Meisels is the founder of the Lidrosh Institute for Jewish Education. He is a renowned lecturer who is invited to speak all over the world. On one such occasion, he was scheduled to speak in Melbourne, Australia. He arranged his schedule so that he would depart for the long, twenty-hour flight from Los Angeles International Airport.
On the day of his flight, he arrived at the airport early, where he met a Jew from Eretz Yisroel who would also be on the same flight. The two struck up a conversation, and Rabbi Meisels learned that the man—an Israeli with limited English—was flying to Australia to raise money to marry off his eleventh child. Rabbi Meisels was instantly impressed by the man’s character and demeanor. He didn’t seem like a typical meshulach—and as Rabbi Meisels, fellow passengers, and airport staff soon learned, he clearly wasn’t.
As the two men passed through security at LAX, they were instructed to place their bags, jackets, belts, and electronics on the conveyor belt. They were also reminded to remove their shoes, in accordance with standard security procedures. After passing through the metal detector, they went to retrieve their belongings on the other side. While Rabbi Meisels found his shoes and items quickly, his counterpart did not. His shoes were missing. He looked up and down but couldn’t find them.
Serving as an interpreter, Rabbi Meisels asked the security staff if they could check whether the shoes had gotten stuck or been taken off the belt. The staff searched thoroughly and finally noticed a pair of shoes in a corner—but they were two sizes too small. The man in charge shook his head and said, “Apparently there was a mix-up. Someone must have mistakenly taken your shoes.”
The meshulach wasn’t sure how to proceed. The airport staff offered him a $100 voucher to buy new shoes in Melbourne—which was helpful, except he still had quite a bit of walking to do before reaching his destination. Rabbi Meisels watched him closely and was struck by how composed he remained. The man never lost his temper—or the perpetual smile on his face. He accepted the voucher with a gracious thank you and, with no other choice, continued to the gate barefoot. Rabbi Meisels walked the entire way with him, and the man never once complained about the unfortunate turn of events.
Once on the plane, Rabbi Meisels found his seat, which was not far from the meshulach. A non-Jewish man nearby began talking to the Israeli. “My friend,” he said, “I was right behind you in the security line and saw the whole saga of your missing shoes. I must tell you, I’ve never seen such self-control. If it had been me, I would have been yelling, ‘Get me shoes!’ I couldn’t believe you just accepted going to Australia barefoot—with a smile.”
Since the Israeli didn’t speak English well, Rabbi Meisels translated. The meshulach continued smiling and thanked the man for his kind words. “There was nothing I could do about it,” he said. “So why get upset?”
The non-Jewish passenger was deeply impressed and asked why this man from the Holy Land was traveling so far from home. When he learned it was to raise money for his daughter’s wedding, he was shocked. He insisted that someone so dignified shouldn’t have to go door to door asking for help.
“How much does he need?” he asked. Upon hearing the amount—$25,000—the man pulled out his checkbook and, on the spot, wrote a check for €25,000 (Euros), the equivalent of $33,000. The meshulach was stunned and thanked him profusely.
When they arrived in Melbourne, Rabbi Meisels accompanied the Yid to the bank to cash the check—which cleared in full. After thanking Hashem, the man booked the next flight home to Eretz Yisroel.
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
