The Missed Kidney That Saved His Life

Sometimes, what feels like a missed opportunity is really a hidden blessing. That’s exactly what happened to Rabbi Reuven Karlinstein, a beloved speaker known for his warmth, wisdom, and unwavering faith.

Rabbi Karlinstein was suffering from severe kidney failure, and doctors told him a transplant was urgently needed. But with a rare blood type, finding a match in Israel proved nearly impossible. So, with a heavy heart, he said goodbye to his family and flew to New York, hoping to find a matching kidney there.

He didn’t expect to be gone for long—but weeks turned into months, and months into two and a half years. Two and a half years away from his family, his community, and even major milestones like his child’s bar mitzvah. He waited with hope, but the match never came.

Then, a kind man in New York suggested that the rabbi travel to California. “There’s a big transplant center in San Francisco,” he said. “There are more chances to find a match there.” Though the rabbi hesitated at first—he had already been through so much—he agreed and flew west with the man accompanying him.

They landed late at night and went straight to the hotel. At dawn, loud knocking startled them awake. It was the police, asking for their IDs. The rabbi, not understanding English, watched as his companion’s face turned pale during a long phone call. But when he asked what was going on, the man brushed it off: “It’s fine, really. Let’s go register at the hospital.”

The rabbi knew something wasn’t right. Eventually, he gently pressed his friend to open up. And then, the truth spilled out.

While they were on the plane to California, a call came in—a matching kidney had finally been found in New York. The caller frantically tried to reach them, but they were already in the air. The hospital couldn't locate them in time, and the kidney was given to someone else.

The man broke down crying. “I’m so sorry,” he sobbed. “We missed it because of the flight. I feel responsible.”

But the rabbi—rather than reacting with anger or despair—stood up with a glowing face and said, “Let’s dance!”

He took the man’s hands and began to dance right there in the room. “Let’s thank Hashem for this! This is His kindness too. Do you think the timing of that phone call was just coincidence? Of course not! Hashem orchestrated this whole journey. I believe it’s all for the best.”

He even called his wife in Israel and declared that day a personal Yom Hoda'ah—a day of thanksgiving to Hashem.

And what happened next was nothing short of amazing.

Three months later, in San Francisco, a perfect kidney match was found. The transplant was successful, and Rabbi Karlinstein lived for another 30 years with renewed strength.

But here’s the miracle: they later learned that the kidney he had “missed” in New York was contaminated. The two patients who received those kidneys tragically didn’t survive.

It was only because of the rabbi’s detour—and Hashem’s hidden plan—that his life was saved.

Rabbi Karlinstein would often laugh and say, “The computer might have said the kidney was for me—but Hashem said otherwise!”

His story is a powerful reminder that we don’t always see the full picture. Sometimes, Hashem’s kindness comes disguised as hardship. But even in those moments, we can trust that He is guiding us with love.

As Rabbi Karlinstein taught us: “Let’s thank Him for everything—even the things we don’t understand. Because one day, we’ll see that it was all for the best.”