It was on his last day before returning to the Holy Land to his home and community that the rabbi of Migdal HaEmek, Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman, concluded his journey in France with a planned visit to one of the yeshivahs, said goodbye to its rabbis and students, and headed out toward the vehicle that would take him to the airport in Paris - from where he would fly to Israel.
The head of the return approached the rabbi as if to sweeten a secret and asked about a young man named Avraham Cohen (a pseudonym), who lives in the north.
''I know him,' the rabbi answered confidently. 'And what about the head of the yeshiva and that guy?' the rabbi asked.
The head of the returnee said that he decided to bring in a mature young man from Israel who would serve as a guide and supporter for the young youth from the yeshiva, and after warm recommendations and in-depth inquiries, he decided and chose him, and that he also wants to receive recommendations about him from the esteemed rabbi.
'Avraham Cohen? Strengthen the youth?' the rabbi muttered in embarrassment, 'He couldn’t strengthen and guide himself, so how can he succeed in strengthening and guiding the youth?'
The head of the yeshiva wavered in sorrow, the time was pressing because our weak young man was already on his way to Paris, and he did not know how he would be sent back home.
Rabbi Grossman finished his visit to the yeshiva, got into the car that was waiting for him on the yeshiva's steps, and sped toward Charles de Gaulle Airport.
The flight went smoothly and in the evening the plane landed at Ben Gurion Airport.
The rabbi gathered his belongings and left the terminal, with his longtime driver waiting at the entrance, who was supposed to take him straight to Migdal HaEmek.
On their way - while on Highway No. 4 leading north, the driver turns to the rabbi and begs him to grant his request to stop in Bnei Brak for a 'taste of something.' The rabbi, who replied in the negative and asked to get home quickly, finally granted his driver's request, admitting that he had indeed not eaten or drunk anything since morning.
Coca-Cola intersection, Givat Shmuel Bridge, right onto Rabbi Kahaneman Street, straight to the corner of Rabbi Akiva, at the Parsa traffic light - and the vehicle stopped at the entrance to the 'Nachum' falafel shop.
As one man and without any formalities, the rabbi and the driver get out of the car and enter the store. The rabbi orders a falafel dish. There was only one other customer in the store at the time, who had just finished eating and had recited the blessing of food.
The rabbi went to the sink to wash his hands, and as he did so, a handsome young man walked towards him. With humility and reverence, he turned and asked for a blessing: 'Blessing for what?' The rabbi asked. 'I am currently on my way to the airport. I am traveling to a yeshiva in Paris to serve as a guide for young people, and I ask for a blessing that God, the Almighty, may prosper my path, that I may find favor and good sense in the eyes of God and man, and that I may succeed in my mission,' the young man concluded his short speech, bowing his head so that the rabbi could place his hands.
'What is your name, and who is the Rosh Yeshiva in Paris?' the rabbi suddenly exclaimed with his characteristic calmness.
When the young man called out the yeshiva's head's name and announced that his name was Avraham Cohen, the rabbi slumped down on a nearby chair, breathed heavily, and asked the young man to reach the yeshiva's head by phone immediately.
The bitter truth was made clear. When the Rabbi heard the name Avraham Cohen, he imagined the young man who had broken the yoke that he knew, while the Rosh Yeshiva was referring to Avraham Cohen, the handsome, sky-gazing young man who was standing in front of the Rabbi at that moment.
In a hasty conversation with the head of the yeshiva in the heart of the falafel shop in Bnei Brak, Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman deeply apologized for the unfortunate mistake.
The head of the yeshiva had a hard time accepting the words, thinking that the rabbi had decided not to harm the young man's reputation, but after a long conversation of clarification, everything fell into place peacefully.
The handsome young man took off for his destination in France at the appointed time, where he was kindly welcomed by the head of the yeshiva and the educational staff, and even as I write these lines, the young man is fulfilling his Torah mission with love and dedication to everyone's satisfaction.
Why did the driver deviate from the custom of sailing from the airport directly to Migdal HaEmek? Why did the rabbi grant the request to stop? Why did he decide to stop at a falafel shop? And if falafel, why did he drive all the way to the Kahaneman-Rabbi Akiva intersection?
This is called 'private providence'.
The story and the sequence of events were recounted to my friend Haim Nahum, the owner of 'Falafel Nahum', who was an eyewitness and listener.
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