How Did Rabbi Meshizahav's Cement Bags Stay Dry in the Rain?

"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a Shabbat of solemn rest to Hashem" (Exodus 35:2).

From here we learn that by resting from work on the seventh day and observing Shabbat, all the work done in the six days of labor is blessed, as mentioned in the holy Zohar (Parashat Beshalach 63b): "What is Shabbat? It is the day on which all other days rest, and it is the source of blessing for all the six days."

About sixty-five years ago, a Haredi contractor named Rabbi Meshizahav lived in Jerusalem. Together with other contractors, he bought land in the Katamon neighborhood to build apartments. At that time, obtaining cement was quite difficult, and they labored extensively to acquire the needed amount. The bags were placed at the construction site, waiting for Sunday morning, the start of work.

One Shabbat morning, Jerusalem awoke to an especially rainy day. There was no forecast for rain, so no one was prepared. For the contractors, the timing was particularly bad; the cement bags they worked so hard to obtain, and paid dearly for, would be completely ruined.

One contractor, whose faith in Hashem was quite shaky, and so was his observance of commandments, couldn't withstand the test. He sent his son to drive and cover the cement to prevent it from being damaged. Meanwhile, Rabbi Meshizahav remained steadfast in his faith. He removed work concerns from his mind and continued his usual Shabbat practices with joy and a good heart.

On Sunday morning, all involved hurried to the construction site. Lo and behold, Rabbi Meshizahav's cement bags were covered, while the other contractor's bags were exposed and spoiled. A complete catastrophe for him.

How did this happen? Rabbi Meshizahav couldn't understand - did the Prophet Elijah come to do this? The mistake soon became clear: the contractor's son desecrated Shabbat and mistakenly covered the wrong bags...

Here lies a great principle: A person who keeps the holy Shabbat - his work is done by others, and besides, all his endeavors are blessed.

In the hymn "Lecha Dodi" we say: "To greet Shabbat, let us go, for it is the source of the blessing." Similarly, the holy Zohar states (Yitro 88a): "Though there are no apparent provisions therein, all the upper and lower blessings depend on the seventh day."

On Shabbat there is no livelihood or work, but all blessings and abundance depend on it!

Strengthening in Light of Current Events

Many ask how we should strengthen ourselves against the "coronavirus" pandemic spreading across the world. Firstly, let us mention the sources from our sages regarding this, close to the coming of our righteous Messiah.

A. In the Tosefta (Tractate Ta'anit Chapter 2 Halacha 13, also in Yalkut Shem'oni Bereishit 9:15) written over eighteen hundred years ago, Rabbi Yose states that while Hashem will no longer bring a flood of water upon the world, as explicitly written in the Torah (Genesis 9:11): "Neither shall there be another flood to destroy the Earth," a plague will come to the nations of the world in the days of the Messiah.

Thus the Tosefta states: Rabbi Yose says there will not be a flood of anything; but a plague for the nations of the world in the days of Messiah exists, as it is said (Zechariah 11:10-11): "I took my staff Favor and broke it, to revoke my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was revoked on that day, and thus the poor of the flock who watched me knew that it was the word of Hashem."

B. In the Midrash Rabbah (Song of Songs Parsha 2:4) on the verse (Song of Songs 2:13): "The fig tree has sprouted its figs, and the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance," it is stated – "Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said: Before the days of the Messiah, a great plague will come to the world and the wicked will be annihilated."

"And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance" - these are the survivors, as it is said (Isaiah 4:3): "He who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy."

C. The word "corona" in numerology (367) equals "Messiah comes" (367, including the number of letters). A hint that our righteous Messiah is close.

It is also hinted in the words of the prayer "May the offspring of David Your servant swiftly flourish, and uplift our horn with Your salvation;" - "and uplift our horn" - contains the root words of the "corona" virus, implying that precisely from this, salvation will come.

Also, at the end of the blessing, "For Your salvation we hope and wait all day,">, blessed are You, Hashem, who makes the horn of salvation sprout," "corona" will come, and immediately after it, the complete salvation will sprout soon, Amen.

The Futility of This World - A Sign of Redemption

Hence, we find ourselves in very significant days, close to the coming of our righteous Messiah, and we must prepare ourselves for his arrival through repentance, Torah study, acts of charity, commandments, and good deeds.

Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, of blessed memory, author of "Michtav MeiEliyahu," who passed away about seventy years ago, writes in his book (Volume 3, Page 204 and onwards), according to the words of our sages in the Talmud, about the sequence of the coming of our righteous Messiah, and here are his words briefly: "The coming of Messiah stems and emerges from the kingdom of Edom, and through the ruin of the kingdom of Edom, the kingdom of heaven arises and is revealed (as we currently observe, that Italy, where all the vessels of the Temple are located, is heavily afflicted by the coronavirus).

"The ruin of Edom will only come through the ruin of this world. When Hashem brings the world to a state where the foundations of worldly life collapse: tranquility is disturbed, individual life turns into a life of worry, fear, and suffering, and the entire world stands under the threat of destruction and ruin, it will be evident to all that human arrogance and boasting about their advancement in conquering creation supposedly lead only to destruction (as we see today, despite all the advances of airplanes and technologies, because of a small virus brought by Hashem, everything is on hold, as if it never was).

"Then they will recognize the absence and loss in worldly life when devoid of any spiritual content, which only leads to annihilation and ruin. When man despairs of achieving his desires and lusts, the light of Messiah will be revealed - 'Deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and the kingdom will be Hashem's' (Obadiah 1:21), and the downfall and ruin of Edom's kingdom will be revealed to all.

"Thus our sages taught us (Sanhedrin 98a): 'Messiah is seated at the gates of Rome' (Messiah sits at the city gate of Rome), that the place of Messiah's revelation is where Edom ends - at its end, for only through perceiving the void and insignificance of this world are individuals capable of rising and viewing things spiritually, and the kingdom of Edom will cease, and then the light of Messiah will be revealed.

"And this clarifies their statement that on the ninth of Av the Messiah was born, meaning that the destruction of the Temple, from which other destructions spread, until the collapse of this world's foundations, will ultimately bring about the revelation of Messiah's light. It turns out that in the very destruction, the seed of redemption and the light of Messiah are already embedded."

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The things we should strengthen in during these times:

A. First, we must strengthen in wholehearted repentance, returning to Him, Blessed be He, through diligence in observing the Torah and commandments and bringing our fellow Israelites closer to Him.

B. Strengthen these days in giving abundant charity; "Charity delivers from death" (Proverbs 10:2). Charity can protect and guard Israel from any distress and trouble, especially to Torah institutions, about which it is said (Proverbs 3:18): "She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, and those who support her are fortunate."

C. Strengthen in reciting one hundred blessings every day, with intention and composure, as it is known that in the days of King David, one hundred people would die each day from a plague, and it was revealed to him from heaven that the remedy was for all Israel to bless one hundred blessings daily, thanking Hashem, Blessed be He, wholeheartedly, thus the plague stopped - and so it was (Tur Orach Chaim 46).

Especially strengthen in saying the "Asher Yatzar" blessing with intent, in which healing and protection for a person are hidden, and Grace after Meals, which is the only blessing (according to all the sages) that is Biblically required.

D. Checking the mezuzot of one's home, for as is known, the acronym for the word mezuzot is "death moved," indicating that by having kosher mezuzot to the utmost adornment at the entrance, death moves away from him and his household.

E. Reciting "Shema Yisrael" with intent twice daily, morning and evening, as the holy Admor of Komarno writes (Book "Adam Yashar," by Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac Yehuda Yechiel ben Rabbi Alexander Sander of Komarno), and this is his language:

"Our sages ordained to say Shema twice in the morning and twice in the evening, to repel the harmful entities in the morning and evening and kill them so they will not harm, all this was ordained in the strength of exile so that perfections will be achieved in the morning and evening, to draw life upon us and upon all Israel, Amen.

"Now it follows that towards Mashiach, the end of refining intensifies the plague, may it not happen, therefore be careful to be joyful and happy-hearted with good traits, love for companions, and love for Israel, sustain me and be saved at a banquet of a mitzvah of companions, to speak words of Torah and reverence and with attachment to the Torah, or to a wise and righteous person, thus drawing life upon himself and Israel with the recitations of Shema Yisrael, which will transform the plague to vanquish the husks and evil, and life to Israel, Amen".

May it be Hashem's will that soon, very soon, we merit to see the face of our righteous Messiah, with great mercy, Amen.