THE SPIRITUAL MARINES
Dr. Miriam Adahan (April 6, 2003)
“The world is built through kindness.” (Tehillim 89:3)
Last Shabbos, as I sat in my comfortable Lazy Boy reading the newspaper, I saw an article about Amichai Dahan, a 20 year old former policeman who was shot a year ago in a terror incident, which shattered his body, destroying his arm, ankle and bladder. The article stated that he was orphaned at three, when his mother died, and had only an older brother to help him get through the day. His brother was quoted as saying that to keep Amichai’s spirits up, he needed a computer, a treadmill and an electric bed. That same morning, I had read about little Jesicca Lynch, who shot at Iraqui solders until she ran out of bullets and was captured. Images of feisty Jesicca filled my mind and I thought of myself as part of the Spiritual Marine Corps, with a mission to accomplish. So, first thing after Shabbos, I called my computer man who said he had just received an almost new computer as a trade in and could give it to me for a good price. He also said he would donate time to teach Amichai how to use it. Those were the first two miracles. A few days later, I happened to mention to someone how excited I was to help Amichai, and she asked if he needed anything else. “A treadmill,” I told her. “Oh, I have a friend who went toAmerica and left a treadmill in her apartment. I’ll call and ask if she’s willing to sell it,” she replied. The next day, she called back to say that her friend was willing to “loan” her brand new, state-of-the art treadmill to Amichai indefinitely. Another miracle.
Now, how would I get the treadmill to Amichai? To save money, I wanted to avoid a regular moving company. I called around, but no one had any ideas. Then, just as I sat down to write this article, I had a sudden urge to go out to my car and scout the neighborhood to see if I could find someone with a van. I tried to resist the urge. After all, it was10 a.m. and my street was totally deserted. But I felt an inner voice was urging me to move, “You have a mission to accomplish. Get out there and do it.” Having absolutely no idea of where I was going, I got into my car, thinking I’d just drive around my neighborhood and see if anyone had a van. And there, as I got to the end of my block, I spied just what I needed! An older man was standing next to a van, hanging out doing nothing – as if he were waiting for me! I told him the story and asked if he would transport the treadmill. “Sure,” he said, but I can’t lift it myself. You’ll have to find a young man to help me.” At that very moment, I looked across the street and saw a young neighbor, just released from the army, emerge from his home at that very moment with a cup of coffee in his hands. “Hey, Golan,” I called out to this totally secular boy, “Want to do a mitzvah?” “Sure,” he agreed smiling. Mission accomplished!
When I returned home, a friend called and I excitedly told her my miracles with Amichai. I also mentioned that my physiotherapist had told me the day before to stop running around so much because my back was in bad shape. “You’re much too fragile for all this pressure,” she had warned me. When my friend expressed concern, I told her, “Don’t worry. I just bought myself a massage chair so now I can run around even more! The only problem is that I have to sell my beloved Lazy Boy to make room for the new chair.” She laughed and said, “I’ve never heard of the term “Lazy Boy, but it sounds lovely.” The next day, she called to say that after she finished talking to me, a friend called her and mentioned that she wanted to buy a used Lazy Boy as a surprise for her husband’s birthday. And the price was exactly what I’d wanted!
When you are involved in chesed work, miracles happen all around you. It’s so astonishing that if I weren’t experiencing it myself, I would think that I was living in a fantasy. But it’s not! Chesed changes your life! You start to live in a different dimension, feeling Hashem’s presence, looking for opportunities to prove yourself on the battlefield of life, facing our well-armed enemies, such as sloth, greed, selfish indifference, apathy and fear. And the more you feel Hashem’s presence, the less anxious you become. So chesed is one of the best ways to fight the anxiety which we are all experiencing at this time.
I even get my clients involved in chesed. Two weeks ago, a twenty year old girl came to see me in a serious depression. “What are your goals?” I asked her. “I don’t have any,” she replied. “What do you do all day long?” I asked. “Nothing. I just stay in bed,” she answered. Words were of no help to someone in this condition. What could I possibly tell a young girl who was just hoping to die, the sooner the better? “I am willing to see you on one condition,” I finally told her. “You have to join a chesed organization.” “Oh, I tried that,” she said dejectely. “I’ve gone to hospitals, but I don’t feel like anyone special, I don’t feel like they need me, in particular. I’m just another volunteer.”
At that moment, I thought of a saintly man with great social charm, who runs a program giving food to impoverished Jerusalemites. I gave her his name and told her to be in contact with him, without having much hope that she would do so. The minute she left, I called him and said, “This girl is very bright and has a lot to offer, but she doesn’t know it. Please call her and give her a reason to get out of bed tomorrow morning. And when she comes to the office, make her feel special and important, like she has something to offer that no one else can give.”
I prayed a silent prayer that she would actually go. People in depression are often too lethargic and self-absorbed to think about others and too scared to be around people, being so used to failure in their relationships. With trepidation, I called her home the next day and asked to speak to her. Her mother said that she was still at the chesed organization, after eight hours of work! I then dialed the director and asked how she was working out, “FANTASTIC!” he cried out into the phone. “She’s a great worker and she’s already reorganized our mailing list.” I saw her a week later, and she was glowing with vitality, excitedly relating how wonderful the people in that chesed organization are. “It’s like I’ve found a new family,” she told me happily. I’m not at all sorry that I’ve lost a client. I’m thrilled that she got a life! This “shidduch” was another miracle. She’s become a spiritual Marine!
Now, we need a huge miracle. In three weeks, Amichai will undergo an operation to attempt to reattach his ureters to his bladder. This will determine if he can marry and have children. He is very worried about the operation. And the government has just reduced subsidies to terror victims, so he doesn’t even know if he will be able to pay his rent next month. He barely sleeps at night because of the pain. He’s in the spiritual Marine Corps in his own way, trying to keep his spirits up while trapped in the captivity of his own body. Please daaven for Amichai ben Chana Chaya. And if anyone knows how to get an electric bed to him, let me know! Join the spiritual Marines. Take action. Do something – anything! - to help another human being today. The enemies of fear and indifference can only be fought with great courage and determination.
[Donations to the tax-exempt ADAHAN FUND FOR THE POOR can be sent to 2700 W. Chase,Chicago, Il. 60645. I have NO OFFICE EXPENSES whatsoever. If you would like to receive a special relaxation tape, make this known in your letter. The tape has one side for adults and the other for children, teaching listeners how to relax their bodies and increase emunah, with wonderful music composed by Riva Shertzman and Yitzchak Simcha.]