He Asked for Directions—And Found His Way Back to Shabbat

The great Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian and Rabbi Moshe Eliyahu Stern were walking together on Shabbat, heading to the afternoon Mincha prayer at the Chevron Yeshiva. As they made their way, cars drove past them, people unaware of the beauty of Shabbat.

Rabbi Eliyahu turned to his friend with pain in his voice and said, “Have mercy on them… there’s no one to teach them how serious this is. Maybe we should turn back? I can’t bear watching my fellow Jews driving on Shabbat.”

Rabbi Moshe Aharon gently replied, “We’ve already walked most of the way. Let’s continue quickly to the yeshiva, and this way we’ll see fewer people violating Shabbat.”

Rabbi Eliyahu agreed, but a heavy sigh escaped him—full of sorrow and compassion.

Just then, a car pulled up beside them. The driver rolled down the window and asked, “How do I get to Jaffa Street?”

At that moment, Rabbi Eliyahu couldn’t hold back his tears.

“How can I tell you something that would help you do something forbidden—driving on Shabbat?” he said, deeply pained. “And yet… how can I ignore the question of a fellow Jew? How can I not help you?”

And again, the rabbi cried.

The man stared at him. He turned off the engine, stepped out of the car, and said with emotion, “Rabbi, I’ve never felt anything like this. My mother keeps Shabbat. She yells at me every week for driving. But she’s never cried about it. You—you're crying for me. You really care. I can see it.”

And then he made a promise: “From today, I will no longer drive on Shabbat.”