When He Had No Way Out, Hashem Opened a Vent

In the popular newsletter Be’er HaParasha, shared weekly by inspirational speaker Rabbi Elimelech Biderman, a surprising and uplifting story was told. A story that reminds us of the incredible power of sincere prayer, even when things seem hopeless.

Rabbi Biderman explained that he heard the story directly from the man it happened to, and that it took place just this past Av (the Hebrew month that usually falls in July–August). “He told me that during the month of Menachem Av,” Rabbi Biderman said, “his household expenses were overwhelming. And as Rosh Chodesh Elul (the first day of the next Jewish month) approached, he realized he had no money to buy the textbooks and clothing his children needed for school.”

On top of that, a relative reminded him about a 5,000-shekel loan he needed to repay. The pressure was intense, and he had no idea how he would manage. The burden of all these financial needs left him feeling crushed.

But on Rosh Chodesh Elul, he turned to Hashem with all his heart. During the Shacharit (morning) prayers, when he reached the words in the Shemoneh Esrei (silent standing prayer), “Bless for us this year,” he said them with tears. He poured out his heart, begging Hashem to help him, to please send salvation somehow.

Later that day, during a short nap in the afternoon, his daughter suddenly ran into the room and woke him. “Dad! We found your hiding place for money!”

Half-asleep and emotionally drained, he was annoyed and grumbled at her for waking him up for what sounded like a silly game. But she insisted that he had to come now and see what was happening in the living room.

Still tired, he followed her, and what he saw left him speechless. Dozens of 200-shekel bills were flying out from the air conditioner vents in the living room!

The whole family quickly came to help gather the bills. When they counted everything, they found that the total was 10,000 shekels, twice the amount he needed.

He realized that someone who had lived in the apartment before must have hidden the money inside the air conditioner for safekeeping and forgotten about it. Over the years, many technicians had serviced the air conditioner, yet no one had ever discovered a thing until now.

Not wanting to act without proper guidance, the father immediately went to ask a rav (rabbi) what to do. The rabbi ruled that he could use the money, as long as he wrote a note stating that if the original owner ever came forward to claim it, he would return the full amount.

The father shared that he had been living in that apartment for many years, and this air conditioner had been opened and fixed more than once. Still, no one had ever seen a trace of the money. “Right after I cried out from the depths of my heart to the Creator, when I truly felt I had no one else to turn to,” he said emotionally, “I received an answer from Heaven.”

Then he added with great feeling, quoting a verse from the Torah: “What great nation has a God Who is so close to them, like Hashem our God is to us whenever we call out to Him?”