Three Little Covid Chanukah Smiles
Little smile #1:
This happened at the Mission Park Shopping Centre a few days ago.
It was another beautiful day delivering Chanukah Gift packages to our community.
A surprise was being created for someone who recently lost a loved one, so we needed to stop for some Kosher chocolate and a nice card.
While looking for parking, we met Jason driving right by us.
We both stopped and rolled down our windows.
"Hey Jason! Early Happy Chanukah to you" I called out, "we have a Chanukah Gift package for you and your family".
He was very excited by the Divine set up and thanked us for this package, as well as for all of the covid packages we've been delivering.
The Passover one,
The Shavuot one,
The Shabbat one,
The High Holidays one,
and now the Chanukah one.
Then he said: "You don't know how special it is what you're doing. I have something for you".
We chatted for a few minutes, and then he said: "Please keep on putting smiles on everyone's faces. Keep this up for our community. You don't know how wonderful it is".
He also mentioned something that he'd really like to get for Chanukah.
So while Fraidy went into the store, we decided to quickly drive the 2 minutes back home to pick it up and bring it to Jason.
"What are the chances that Jason will still be there so we can surprise him with it right away" I asked the kids.
Exactly 5 minutes later, we returned, but Jason wasn't there.
So I told the kids, "You know, I really feel like HaShem will for sure make us find him."
It's hashgacha protis* that we met him, and that we decided to go back and surprise him.
Well, Fraidy came back to the car and we drove off to continue our route for the day.
Without realizing, we exited the shopping centre from the Pandosy st. exit, instead of from Richter st. where we usually exit from.
I kept saying, "I'm sure we'll find him today".
"I'm sure we'll see him somewhere around here."
Sure enough, about two blocks down Pandosy st. - there was Jason!, parked in front of another little shop and just getting out of his truck.
We honked, and stopped right in front of his vehicle.
He looked up and came to the window,
"Here's your Chanukah Judaica order" we excitedly said.
"what?!" he exclaimed.
In total shock, with a big smile and with great appreciation, he took his stuff and asked if I can come see him, covid-safe, sometime over Chanukah.
"Keep on putting smiles on everyone's faces" you said.
"Here you have it, just as you requested".
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Little smile #2:
After we returned to the shopping centre with Jason's stuff, about 60 seconds before Fraidy came out of the store, another community member walked right by us.
"Early Happy Chanukah" I called out, "we have a Chanukah Gift package here for you and your family".
She came over to see the kids and we chatted for a few minutes.
After a brief gratitude exchange, she volunteered to do some deliveries and we wished each other well.
A couple days later, I received a text message that read:
"You know the day I ran into you all, I was feeling very alone in this city and there you were with children in tow. 🤓"
We met her in a 60 second window.
A minute before or a minute after wouldn't have done it.
It had to be perfectly, Divinely ordained.
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Little smile #3:
The next day, former Queen's bench Justice Yitzchok Moshe surprised us at the house.
He had a cheque book in hand with the top cheque filled out.
As he began pulling the cheque along the perforation he said:
"The yesterday was just so powerful.
We won't be with family or our children this year for Chanukah."
Then with his hands raised he continued:
"Rabbi, someone showed up at my door yesterday with that package for Chanukah with everything we need. You don't even know. It really lifted us up. It was so wonderful. All of the visits and deliveries your family does.”
He wanted to surprise us and show up at our door, so we can keep showing up at doors in our community throughout the year.
"Here's to help you keep on going", he said "keep it up until the world is ready to greet Moshiach."
"Yes. Soon." said Yosef from atop the staircase.
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*G-d's imminent presence, and His orchestration of our day to day life, to the smallest detail.