Hashem Heard My Prayer at the Police Station

How often in life do we get to see Hashem’s hand clearly, especially at moments when we need Him most? For Vidal Nachmani, these moments show up often. And instead of brushing them off or forgetting them, he takes the time to write them down, so he can hold on to the goodness and see Hashem’s kindness more clearly in his life.

A few years ago, I was surprised to receive a court summons in the mail, along with a traffic ticket for a violation I supposedly committed on a certain road. I didn’t remember anything like that happening, so I called the police and asked to see the photo that was supposedly taken by one of their traffic cameras. They agreed.

“Come the day before the court date,” one of the officers told me, “and we’ll show you the photo without any problem.” So that’s what I did. The day before the hearing, I went to the police station and was sent to room number 9. But the door was locked. I went next door to room 8 and asked where the officer from room 9 was. “She’s on lunch break,” I was told. “She’ll be back soon.”

I stepped out into the hallway, which was really an open-air balcony on the second floor. The view was beautiful, tall eucalyptus trees swaying gently in the wind under a wide blue sky but inside, I felt heavy. My heart was filled with questions. What was going to happen tomorrow at the trial? What should I say to reduce the fine? And why was I even caught up in something like this?

I sat down, overwhelmed, and turned to Hashem with a deep and personal prayer. I told Him what was on my heart. “Master of the Universe, why did You bring me here? Did I do something wrong that I didn’t realize? Is this Your way of letting me know I need to fix something?”

I asked Hashem to forgive me for anything I may have done unknowingly, and I promised to try to grow and improve. I told Him I wasn’t a criminal. Even if I made a mistake while driving, it wasn’t something that put anyone in danger. It was a small side street merging into a wider road, and I was careful. I never drive recklessly, I try to be extra cautious every time I get in the car.

Still, if I did something wrong, I accept it. But it hurt to be accused of something when I do my best to drive responsibly. And it hurt even more to think that if I got a fine, that money would go to a system that doesn't always honor Shabbat or Torah values, while I would have used that money to raise my children with a Torah education, to buy food for Shabbat, to do mitzvot.

So I told Hashem, “I think it’s better that this money stays with me, but if You decide otherwise, I accept Your will with love.”

While I was still finishing that prayer, maybe even mid-sentence, the officer I was waiting for suddenly appeared. She walked by and asked how she could help me. I handed her the traffic ticket and asked to see the photo of the violation. She typed something into the computer and looked at the screen for a long time.

Then she smiled at me and said, “Israel Police has decided to cancel your ticket.”

I didn’t understand what I was hearing.

“What do you mean?” I asked her, shocked. “I didn’t call anyone. I didn’t ask for it to be canceled. Why would they cancel the ticket?”

She just smiled and said jokingly, “Why are you asking so many questions? Say thank you and go home.”

So that’s what I did.

But in my heart, I knew this wasn’t a decision made by the Israel Police. This was Hashem’s answer to my prayer. He, the true Judge of the world, the Rock of Israel, had canceled my ticket.

To Him I owe my thanks.

There is no one but Him.