Pick Up. Hashem Is Calling!

It so happened that while making her rounds checking on the welfare of patients in a hospital outside of Bnei Brak that a nurse encountered an elderly gentleman lying on his bed unfortunately in the throes of death as was made apparent from his heart monitor readings. Alone, without family at his side, the nurse summoned hospital personnel to phone the family for the man in room 202 to join him in his final few moments. To her dismay, the nurse was informed that there were no relatives available. Noticing his religious appearance, the nurse suggested dialing a rabbi. The hospital’s rabbi, Rav Mann, was contacted, and he ran to the old man’s side. Rav Mann attempted to converse with the elderly individual, and tried his best to say Viduy together, to no avail.

Finally, after several endeavors to communicate, the man began to mumble something. Rav Mann bent down and put his ear against the man’s mouth and deciphered his words.

The old man explained that he once had a family and had been married with a son, Dovid, who excelled in school bringing nachat to his parents. Dovid learned well and got good grades until one sad day when this man’s wife was diagnosed with the dreaded disease of cancer.

The family flew to America where the mother underwent a series of difficult procedures and surgeries over an extended period. The upheaval was unfortunately overwhelming for the couple’s only son.

Tragically, the young mother passed on just a few months later. Unable to cope with the loss, Dovid entirely tuned out the world. His father simply could not fathom how his beloved son spiraled so quickly from studying all day to not learning at all. Dovid’s father took out his anger on the torn child and began to hit his frail frame resulting in further rebellious activity. Dovid ultimately left home, cutting off all ties with his father, ceasing all communication for many years.

The old man related, “I haven’t seen or spoken to my son in over 20 years. But I know that he is still living in Eretz Yisrael. I know exactly where he lives, and I even have his cell phone number. It is written on a piece of paper in my bag. I saved it for all these years, even though I never called him.”

The father informed the rabbi that his son had, unfortunately, married a non-Jew and was living a completely secular lifestyle. He begged Rabbi Mann to call his son, giving him one final chance to speak before he departed this world.

Rav Mann went through the man’s suitcase, found the phone number, and immediately tried calling only to be met with a busy signal. Encouraged that the number was active, and that the man’s son was simply on the other line, he tried again a few minutes later again getting the same tone. Crucial minutes were ticking away.

The man passed away and was never afforded another chance to speak to his estranged son. Rav Mann decided to persist in reaching the man’s child to discuss funeral details; this time, the boy picked up.

“Hello,” Rav Mann began, “Is this Dovid?”

Shocked to hear anyone use his Jewish name that he had kept hidden for years, Dovid questioned, “Who are you? How do you know who I am?”

Rav Mann proceeded to explain to the unknowing child the current circumstances stating, “Do you know what your father was thinking about in his last moments? He was focused on speaking with you and begged me to track you down because he desperately wanted a final conversation.”

“What time did you call me?” asked the son.

“2:15,” replied Rav Mann.

Suddenly, the son began to cry out bitterly, expressing, “Do you know why I did not answer the phone when you called? I was on the phone with a huge diamond dealer working on selling some diamonds for a nice profit and I felt that I could not interrupt the conversation to answer the incoming call. I had no idea that my father was trying to reach me! I missed out on speaking to him one last time because I was busy. And what was I busy with? Diamonds. Business. I was busy with unimportant matters and missed out on saying goodbye to my father. What a loss!”

Dovid attended the funeral and said that he regretted not being in touch with his father for such a lengthy time. Little by little, he began learning Torah in memory of his deceased father and eventually became shomer Shabbat once again in the merit of his father.

This story was related by Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein who noted that of course it was a very sad story but that it bears a tremendous lesson. Hashem is always on the other side of the phone begging us to return to His grace and come closer. Hashem informs us to do the right thing, learn Torah, be active in performing mitzvot and improve oneself by deepening our connection to Him.

You can do it. Hashem is calling us, we just need to answer the call.

We may be busy with work and all of life’s complexities, but we must not forget to take Hashem’s call and miss the opportunity to grow closer to our Creator. We cannot tell Him that we are too busy. Hashem is literally on the other line, waiting for you to pick up the phone.

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Rabbi Yaakov Rahimi has created a storm in the Jewish world bringing back many unaffiliated young men and women to the pathways of Hashem. He has been involved in the Chazaq and Torah Anytime organizations, among others including NCSY, BJX, and Partners in Torah. He has since returned to his hometown of Lakewood, N.J. Rabbi Rahimi is a graduate of Deal Yeshiva, and learned in Beth Medrash Govoha becoming a very close talmid of Rabbis Yeruchem Olshin shlit”a, and Yitzchok Sorotzkin shlit”a. Rabbi Rahimi partook in the Sephardic halachic project Mishnah Berurah Tiferet. He can be reached at, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..