A Night of Wonder: Discovering Unexpected Blessings

When *Kochava* Medmon's sister-in-law invited her to an evening of challah baking with Rebbetzin Sima Raibi, she decided to go just for fun. She didn't really believe that miracles could arise from such an evening, and she didn’t take it too seriously. "I attended the evening, but unfortunately, I wasn't very focused on the challah ritual; I was mostly chatting with my sister-in-law," she recounts.

Yet, her curiosity was piqued by the end of the night. "The Rebbetzin asked all of us to gather around her and said that each woman should make a wish, light a candle, and commit to something personal. Whatever she asks for, the Rebbetzin promised she would receive. My son was one year old and wasn't feeling well. He had an unexplained lump on his body, and our doctor said he would need surgery. I decided to ask for complete healing for my child and asked the Rebbetzin to bless him, that he wouldn’t need surgery. The Rebbetzin indeed blessed him and assured me that with Hashem’s help, I would hear the next day that there would be no need for any surgery. She also asked me to inform her when it happened. But I didn't take her phone number. I didn’t believe it would actually happen.

"The next day, I had an appointment with the child at the surgeon. I went, the doctor examined him, and he said to me, 'I don't know what you want from the child... he's healthy and fine. Take him home.' I didn’t ask questions; I just went home. I couldn’t believe the miracle that happened right before my eyes. I remember telling my husband at home, 'You won't believe it, yesterday I was at a challah baking evening, and I didn’t want to tell you what happened, so that the blessing would remain unseen – and what the Rebbetzin blessed truly came to pass.'"

*Kochava* obtained the phone number of Rebbetzin Raibi and called to tell her about the miracle. "The Rebbetzin asked me to write down the miracle that happened. But somehow, I procrastinated and didn’t write it. The Rebbetzin called again and again, asking me to write it down, and by the third call, I had to tell her that in fact, it was better I hadn’t written it. The lump that my son had – returned, and surgery was being discussed again. On the day she called, we were supposed to go to a more advanced specialist. But the Rebbetzin told me: You’ll see, even this doctor will say the same."

*Kochava* took her son to the specialist and couldn't believe her ears. "He told us – 'Buy the child some ice cream and take him home.' No surgery needed, nothing. He explained a medical issue the child had, but something simple, not problematic, and I truly felt that Hashem created this small problem to show me that there are miracles and that I should have faith in these blessings of challah baking. Now I believe with all my heart, and I plan to organize another evening of challah baking soon. This time, with Hashem’s help, I will be fully focused."

Challah baking evenings – for event bookings: Tel 073-2221290, Email aviva@htv.co.il