The Jewish Family Dollar Experience
Our community is blessed with the most honest (and reasonable) mechanic, Baruch Taub of Masterworks. I brought my car in to him for repairs and he advised me to go to the Nissan dealership to repair the loose tie rod (whatever that is) as it is probably under warranty. Baruch advised me on which dealership he recommends and I wound up going to the one in Bedford. It was the day before the holiday of Shavuot, and I was pressed for time, so I was relieved when things moved along nicely. They took my car in, ran some tests, ordered the necessary parts, and I was on my way back home.
Google maps took me there via the I-480, but for some reason directed me home via the city streets instead. As I was driving home, I passed a Dollar Tree store and said to myself, “I should pull in and get a few trinkets for the kids for the holiday of Shavuot," as I recalled buying little gifts for everyone on Pesach, and how much it enhanced everyone's Simchas Yom Tov (the mitzvah of being joyful on the holidays). But by the time I made up my mind I had already passed it and missed the turn. I consoled myself; as there was another dollar store in the next parking lot.
Turning in, it was evident that the building was really run down and dilapidated. It was in a depressed area in Bedford, off the corner of Rockside and Northfield. Most of the storefronts were for lease, with no sign of a Starbucks in site. Nonetheless I went in to try my luck. As I shopped, I heard the loudspeaker squawk over the sound of the podcast playing through my headphones:
“Everyone bring all your items to the front right now; everything is free if you come up now!”
I was very tired and thus assumed I didn’t hear right, or that it was some kind of gimmick. The words of my wise wife echoed in my brain: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" Besides, I had only just started shopping. I wasn’t going to run my 3 items to the front now as I still wanted to go through the aisles. Fifteen minutes later my cart was filled up. I approached the register and the lady behind the counter started scanning my items so I assumed that the free-for-all was indeed “not legit,” as my kids say.
I asked for the total and she replied, “It’s free, thanks to that man right there!” There stood a tall guy, bedecked in gold, multiple necklaces, earrings and a gold watch, with a wide, gap-between-the-teeth smile on his face. I thanked him profusely and asked him for an explanation. His response was: “Man, the Lord is good to me! I felt his spirit and I wanted to give back! This is the third time this year I’m coming to this store to do it!” I asked him his name and he said, “My name isn't important; this is a gift from the Lord!” I asked if I could take a selfie with him and he replied, “Oh yea!!”
So there you have it. This man had a portion in our Simchas Yom Tov (holiday joy), and a couple of items for JFX too. The grand total would have been around $43.00. And here’s the clincher: the announcement came on literally a minute after I entered the store, as soon as I started shopping. As I walked toward my car, I saw the man leave the store and walk to his car, fancy hubcaps and all. He was only there for 20 minutes - the same 20 minutes that I was in the store!
Why did I merit this "divine hug"? I don't know, but I believe that there was a message for me there. My intention in entering this store was motivated by my desire to enhance the Shavuot holiday experience for our family, and the message is this: if you perform an action, any action, with pure motives, G-d is proud and is rooting for you, and every once in a while (not too often, because that would interfere with our free will) He'll even flash a tangible divine smile your way!
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Koval
