The world holds its breath as we wait to hear the fate of the Malaysian Airline Flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong this week. Everyone was stunned how a massive Boeing 777 can simply vanish in a world that is constantly online.
Out hearts and prayers go out for the 239 passengers as we pray for a miracle. Yet, amidst the suspense and tension has already emerged a miraculous and inspirational story:
On a jam packed trip, leaving from Boston, Andrew was planning to go to Sydney, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Vietnam and Melbourne. The trip was built around a conference in Fangshan, China, on Saturday.
His travel agent, an observant Jew, proposed the business class itinerary, slightly altering the Kuala Lumpur-Beijing flight from Saturday to Friday.
Andrew insisted on staying an extra day in Kuala Lumpur, but that would have meant a flight on Saturday.
The travel agent responded that he would not be able to book travel for him over the Sabbath, but that he was free to book that flight by himself.
Andrew agreed with that and planned to book the flight by himself. But, then he re-considered.
In an email, Andrew wrote to the travel agent: “Greetings from LAX airport. Will board my Delta flight in 55 minutes. I reconsidered, you are right I should be more observant, I’ll manage without that day in Kuala. Since I’ll have an extra night in PEK, any recommendations for a good Friday night dinner in Beijing?”
The travel agent recommended the Chabad of Beijing for a nice kosher meal and booked him on the original itinerary, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on Friday early instead of Saturday.
Two days later, Andrew wrote to the agent: “Holy G-d, You sure heard what happened to MH370. I cannot stop thinking about this. This is a true miracle for the books. You are a true life saver… I cannot think anymore! We’ll talk later this week. Don’t know how to thank you enough. Now please change my return. I am not stepping on a Malaysia flight in my life.”
The travel agent responded, “I am so happy for you! Not I am the life saver. God and Shabbat were your life savers. You owe them something.”
Andy's story is reminiscent of that of Rose Goldstein, a Jewish girl who emigrated on her own from Poland, and had a job at a shirt factory on New York’s Lower East Side, a hundred and three years years ago exactly. She told her bosses an excuse for not working for several Saturdays in a row, but then felt the pressure to go to work on Saturday, or lose the job. She made the decision not to work, spending the Shabbat alone in Tomkins Square Park, happy but at the same time fretting that her absence would surely mean that she would lose her job.
Only when she got home that night, Rose found out that the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory had burned down, and 146 of her immigrant co-workers, out of 190 at the factory, had died because the fire escapes were locked to keep them busy working. Read the full story here .
Rose always remembered the parting words from her father as she boarded the boat for America:"More than the Jews protect the Sabbath, the Sabbath protects the Jews.”
Our relationship with G-d, according to Kaballah, is measure for measure, tit for tat. When we initiate, G-d reciprocates. Most often, we need to make the first move.
This Shabbos, just before Purim, is called Shabbat Zachor (Rememberance) when it is an extra special Mitzvah to hear the Torah read in Shul. As Jews we are always commanded to 'remember'. When we remember the Shabbat to keep it holy', G-d remembers us with extra special protection!