Every Situation Or Place In Which You Find Yourself THAT Is What G-d Has Planned For You

Most Chabad Rabbis are filling a double duty this weekend. Their wives (along with mine) are in NY for their annual conference. It is scheduled yearly on the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe’s wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka.

Our daughter Chaya is named for her and shares that names with countless of girls around the world (A few weeks ago she asked me to book bus tickets for her and a few friends. When I asked for their names, she replied, “Chaya, Chaya, Chaya and Chaya”.

We all hope that our daughters will emulate this special woman who they are named for.

At our Chaya’s Bat Mitzvah, she talked about the many women in Jewish history who had paved the path for her and were role models of Jewish womanhood. Tzivie concluded that theme, but sharing with Chaya a life lesson from Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, her namesake.

Below is a copy of what she shared. Truly a life lesson for all of us:

You just spoke about the remarkable women who have inspired you. I want to share with you the story of one more remarkable woman…the woman who you were named for. Chaya Mushkah.

Known as Rebbetzin Chaya Mushkah, she was the wife of the Rebbe. Leader of Chabad.

She was a very private woman, but from the stories of those close to her, we can learn amazing life lessons.

Her driver relayed the following episode.

Usually, they would drive out to a park in Long Island. His son was a young child, he would take him along; Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka enjoyed playing with him, pushing him on the swings in the park playground.

One day, as they neared the park, they found that the regular route was closed off due to road work, and they were forced to proceed instead on a parallel street. As they drove along that street, they heard the sound of a woman screaming in Russian. When the driver stopped at the next traffic light, the Rebbetzin turned to him and said: “I heard a woman screaming. Can you go back and see what that was about?”

They drove back to the beginning of the street. They saw a woman standing on the curb and weeping, while near her, workers were carrying furniture and household items from a house and loading them onto a truck belonging to the county Marshal. At Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka’s request, the driver parked behind the marshal’s truck and went to learn the details of what was going on. The marshal explained that the woman had not paid her rent for many months, and was now being evicted from her home.

The rebbetzin then directed the driver to inquire from the marshal how much the woman owed, and if he would accept a personal check; she also asked that he should not say anything to the family being evicted. The sum that the family owed was approximately $6,700. The marshal said that he had no problem accepting a personal check, as long as he confirms with the bank that the check is covered. He also said that if he received the payment, his men would carry everything back into the house. When the driver informed the Rebbetzin of the details, she took out her checkbook and, to his amazement, she wrote out a check for the full amount, and had him give it to the marshal.

The marshal made a phone call to the bank, and then instructed his workers to take everything back into the house. The Rebbetzin urged her driver to quickly drive away, before the woman would realize what had transpired.

Amazed at what he had seen, the driver later asked the Rebbetzin what had prompted her to give such a large sum to a total stranger.

She explained:

“Once, when I was a young girl, my father took me for a walk in the park. He sat me down on a bench, and started to tell me about the idea of divine providence. Every time — explained my Father — when something causes us to deviate from our normal routine, there is a divinely ordained reason for this; every time we see something unusual, there is a purpose in why we’ve been shown this sight.

“Today,” continued Rebbetzin, “when I saw the ‘Detour’ sign instructing us to deviate from our regular route, I remembered my father’s words, and immediately thought to myself: Every day we drive by this street; suddenly the street’s closed off, and we were sent to a different street. What is the purpose of this? How is this connected to me? Then I heard the sound of a woman crying and screaming. I realized that we had been sent along this route for that purpose.”

My dearest Chaya, from Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka I hope you will learn the message of DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

That every situation life brings you, and every place in which you find yourself, -THAT is what G-d has planned for you. Search out the reason, and then use your talents and gifts to make it purposeful.

In every situation that you find yourself, in all the new places you will go and all the new people you will meet. Remember YOU have something specific to offer and that is why G-d placed you there.

Keep using that special gift of a happy, kind and sensitive heart to brighten up your surroundings and to lighten up the lives of the people who you get to know.

Indeed a message for all of us. Make a seemingly insignificant moment today, matter.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom.