STORY: Shaul and the dream

Children, gather around the fire place, while I relate to you yet another true and amazing story of Hashgocho Protis that came upon our fine little Chabad house in Cabo.

...crackling of the fire...

Shaul and Lena, my wonderful and fine brother in law and sister were here visiting for Pesach. They were here for a few weeks, and with Pesach being such a busy time, they hadn't really had the chance to go and experience the beauty and the relaxation that Cabo promises to its visitors.

It was the last day before they were to leave back home. They decided that enough was enough, they were going to get some sun.

They left the house.

Several hours later, Sonia and myself decided that after such a Pesach holiday, it was time for us to spend some quality time with the kids out in the sun too.

Why not go to the beach?

No, not a full Fraie beach! We know of a beach that is fairly empty and basically tznius, so we decided to head on over there and spend a little time with the kids.

As we approach the beach, we meet up with our two heroes, Shaul and Lena.

They are excited!

"Benny! You need to come and meet this guy!" Says Shaul quickly.

"Alright. Calm down and show me what you're talking about." I say. Shaul leads us back to the beach and explains to us the situation.

They were casually sitting at the end of the beach, minding their own business and enjoying the Cabo weather, when all of a sudden, a full fledged Mexican comes over to them and begins conversation.

He claimed to be a Jew.

He claimed to have just been transferred a week earlier from Mexico city to work in Cabo.

He is an officer in the Mexican army.

At first, Shaul didn't really believe that he was a genuine Jew, after all, by looking at the dude in the picture above, would you? (It's a picture of him.)

But as the conversation continued, Michael, the officer proved to know his stuff. He knew all about the Torah, Shabbos, Davvening, Havdallah, Mitzvos and everything else that a Jew should know. His kids, although not Jewish, they were still medically circumcised and have Jewish names and everything... So Shaul came to the conclusion that chances are that this guy is genuine and not stam a Mexican hacker!

When I arrive at the beach and we head to the end, where Michael was sitting with some other Mexican navy officers, Michael sees me, quickly and excitedly comes over and begins speaking with me, explaining me his whole story.

What an interesting Hashgocho Protis I think to myself. This is the end of the beach. We usually would never trudge all the way to the end of the beach. It's difficult to walk through the sand Shlepping two kids along. But here Hashem had made us end up on this ekk velt, just so that a Jewish Mexican officer in the army can find other Yidden when he arrives in this new city of Cabo.

However, the story doesn't end.

After Shaul and Lena left, Michael came over to the Chabad house to pay me a visit and speak to me a bit more about him and his story.

He told me that in Mexico City, although he wasn't really able to keep Yiddishkeit to the fullest, he still would try as best as he could to do whatever he was able to.

It was difficult for him, but he was commited.

When the news came to him that he would be transferred to Cabo, he was devastated. He was scared, because he had never mover with his family to a far and new place and he didn't know what to expect. But more importantly, he knew that there was no Yiddishkeit in Cabo and was therefore terrified that he would not be able to keep his commitments to his traditions and religion.

He tells me...

About a week before he moved to Cabo, he had a dream.

Someone came to him in the middle of his sleep. He couldn't see the man's face. All he saw was the person's body. But he felt that it was someone whom he could trust and believe.

In the dream, the man told him that although he was going to a new place and he was beginning anew in an uncomfortable environment, he should not be scared, because everything is going to work out as it should.

When he awoke, he all of a sudden felt a calmness that he had not experienced for weeks and weeks leading up to the dream. He was worried no more and felt better that he had been reassured about his big move to Cabo.

When he came, he sort of settled in. His family still hadn't yet arrived. He is here making the preparations for the family to come... Yet he's wondering what the dream means...

And then, he is standing with a few friends on a lone beach and the end of Cabo... an empty beach no less... The end of an empty beach and who shows up?? A Jew with a beard, tzitzis and a Yarlmuka!! He told me that the moment he saw Shaul, he almost fainted from shock! He realized that Hashem was behind everything and that he really had nothing to fear about his move.

He just found a home about 15 minutes away from us. That way, he's close by and can join us for everything we do.

He has shown up to every Tfilla that we offer so far and then some. Every class that we have in Cabo S. Lucas he shows up and drinks in every word... It's amazing. I don't know what will be from today and onward, but I do know that I have a diamond in my midst. I have a jewel, with the responsibility of the Rebbe in my hands, to polish him and make him shine!!! He is waiting for it. He is begging for it.

Why am I waiting???

...

And that's the story!