28 Apr CHAIM’S FALAFEL

Mi K’amcha Yisroel… Who is like Your
people, Yisroel. How proud I am to be
part of nation that treasures the mitzva of
v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha, you shall
love your fellow as yourself. A nation that
knows what it means to have kindness in
one’s heart.
A beautiful story has recently gone viral
in Israel. It is the story of Chaim, a simple
man who worked a falafel stand in the
North. Shortly after October 7, Chaim
wanted to give back to chayalei Yisroel,
the soldiers of IDF, for protecting the
people and land of Israel. He made a
commitment to give any uniformed
soldier who comes to his stand a falafel
on the house.
Word spread quickly, and over time,
thousands of hungry soldiers made their
way to Chaim’s stand. Chaim never
imagined so many soldiers showing up,
nor did he think the war would last as
long as it is. Despite his rising expenses,

and dwindling income, Chaim remained
true to his word, and continued to supply
the soldiers with falafel.
With time, Chaim’s generosity began to
take an enormous financial toll. His debts
mounted, and it looked like Chaim would
have to close shop.
And then, the glory of Am Yisroel shone
in a way that Chaim could have never
dreamed of. Just recently, dozens of
soldiers who were “customers” of Chaim,
heard of his financial troubles. They came
to Chaim’s stand with family and friends.
Not to take, but to give. They insisted on
paying. With such a large group, it didn’t
take long for Chaim to be sold out.
But that wasn’t all. Chaim had a tip jar. At
the end of the day, he opened it and
discovered an envelope with tens of
thousands of shekels. It included a note,
“You fed us when we were hungry, going
into battle. Now, is our time to feed your
business.” It was signed, “With love, The
Company.”
Chaim broke down into tears. The beauty

of a people that knows what it means to
give. Both Chaim, and The Company,
gave from their heart. Each one touching
the heart of the other.
We are now in the midst of Sefira. It is
during this time that 12,000 pairs of
Rabbi Akiva’s students succumbed to a
devastating plague. A tragedy. For Rabbi
Akiva, it was a time of pain, for each
student was precious. He gave of himself
to each and every one of them.
Rabbi Akiva didn’t fall apart, but
continued on. He rebuilt, teaching a new
group of five students, emphasizing the
mitzva of v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha…
to love your fellow as yourself. (Vayikra
19:18)
V’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha. Rashi
comments, “So says Rabbi Akiva. Zeh
klal gadol baTorah, This is a fundamental
principle in the Torah.”
How inspired I was to read that it was
during these days of Sefira, days when we
are reminded of the teachings of Rabbi
Akiva, that a group of IDF soldiers went
out of their way to show love, care and
concern for Chaim. It is a true story of
ahavas Yisroel, of one Jew loving
another. Of Chaim giving to the
soldiers, and the soldiers giving back.
Each one, in their own way, brought the
emotion of lovingkindness into action.
Rabbi Akiva taught that one should
make an effort, and look for ways to do
for others. To seek out opportunities to
do good, and offer help instead of
waiting to be asked.
Rabbi Akiva lived his teaching, doing
chesed without being asked. The
Talmud tells us of a student of Rabbi
Akiva who was ill. Although Rabbi
Akiva had 24,000 students, he noticed
his talmid’s absence. He found the
student lying in bed, pale and weak.
Rabbi Akiva looked around the room, it
needed a cleaning. Rabbi Akiva himself
opened the window, dusted and swept,
letting in the sunshine and cleaning up
the room. With the room straightened
out, the student’s spirits were lifted.
Filled with gratitude, he turned to Rabbi
Akiva and said, “Rebbi, you revived
me.” With that, Rabbi Akiva wished his
student a refuah sheleima.
Rabbi Akiva was a paragon of loving
one’s fellow. When it came to doing for
others, nothing was beneath him.

The Maharal notes that from Pesach up to
Lag B’Omer, we count 32 days. 32 is the

gematria, numerical value of both lev-
heart, and kavod – respect and honor.

During these days of Sefira, we should
internalize the teaching of Rabbi Akiva.
A lesson of showing love and respect to
others.
This week’s parsha, Emor, tells us about
the mitzva of Sefiras Ha’omer.
“U’sefartem lachem, And you shall count
for yourself.” (Vayikra 23:15) We are
counting the days until Matan Torah,
each day another rung in the ladder, each
day another opportunity for spiritual
growth. During the days of Sefira,
HaShem sends us extra opportunities to
do chesed, so we can accumulate mitzvos.
We just have to keep our eyes and ears
open, and pick up on our messages.
I recently read a story by Rabbi Shraga
Freedman, as told to him by Mr. Shlomo
Werdiger, who heard it from the Gerrer
Rebbe. It was about a Holocaust survivor
who shared a memory with the Rebbe.
He spoke of being part of a group,
commiserating about the inner pain they
felt during their time in Auschwitz. There
was no Torah, no Shabbos, no tefillin, no
mitzvos. One boy in the group spoke up.
“There is one mitzva we can still keep
completely, with all its details. One
mitzva that no rasha can take away from
us. V’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha.” From
that moment on, they made every effort
to keeping that mitzva. A mitzva that
gave them the strength to survive and that
fortified them in their Yiddishkeit.
From the darkest days of the Holocaust,
to Rabbi Akiva’s love for each student, to
Chaim’s falafel stand and the IDF soldiers
who repaid his kindness, the mantra of
v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha brings out
the best of Am Yisroel.