“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Bo 5786
5 Shevat 5786/January 23, 2026
IN ITS TIME
During the past four years, my wife and I have had at least one child learning in yeshiva/seminary in Yerushalayim. I had the good fortune to visit and spend a few days in Eretz Yisroel each January.
This year, as we don’t have a child learning there, I wasn’t planning on going to visit Eretz Yisroel. But as the winter wore on, I yearned to spend a few days there, as in past years.
I booked a flight with Austrian Air that had a two-hour stopover in Vienna, that would land in Ben Gurion airport on Thursday afternoon. I was set to fly back to Newark Airport the following Monday night. It would be a short trip, but I was excited to have whatever time I could.
Being that my time there was so limited, during the days before, my wife suggested I reach out to our travel agent to ask if there was another flight leaving a little earlier. The travel agent replied that in fact there was a direct United Airlines flight leaving Newark Tuesday evening and arriving in Eretz Yisroel late Wednesday afternoon. Though it cost a bit more, it was worth it to have an extra full day there, so I booked it.
After I landed in Eretz Yisroel on Wednesday afternoon, I saw the news headlines and my heart skipped a beat. At the time, Iran was gripped in protests and the United States threatened to attack Iran if the Iranian government opened fire on protestors. Iran in turn threatened to attack Israel if America struck them and Israel warned Iran that there would be severe reprisals if Israel was attacked. Austrian Air had canceled all flights to Eretz Yisroel because of the precarious situation in Iran. Had I not switched my flight my whole trip likely would never have occurred. By booking the earlier United flight, I thought I was gaining a half day in Eretz Yisroel. In reality it was the difference between visiting Eretz Yisroel or never getting off the ground. I had extra reason to be grateful for my visit to Eretz Yisroel this year.
The Torah relates that when the time for the redemption from Egypt arrived, the Jewish People were rushed out of the country. It had been over two centuries from when the fledgling family of Yaakov arrived in Egypt. For much of that time, it felt like they would never leave. Yet, when the precise moment arrived, exactly 400 years after Yitzchak Avinu was born, they were hurried out to the extent that they couldn’t bake the dough they carried on their shoulders.
The final plague – the death of the firstborn – began at the stroke of midnight. However, when Moshe informed Pharaoh about the plague he said it would occur at “about midnight”. Rashi explains that although G-d knows the exact moment of midnight, Pharaoh and his cohorts did not. Therefore, although the plague would happen exactly at midnight, Pharaoh and his magicians may incorrectly think it was shortly before or after. Therefore, they were told it would be around midnight. That, however, doesn’t change the fact that the plague began at exactly midnight.
The redemption played out with incredible precision, at the exact time ordained by heaven.
Our lives are full of moments when a minute, or even a second make all the difference. Sometimes it works to our delight and sometimes not, but it’s always exactly as heaven orchestrates it.
Somehow it seems that in Eretz Yisroel those things happen even more. That makes sense being that the Torah describes it as, “the Land that the Eyes of Hashem, your G-d, are upon it from the beginning of the year until the end of the year” (Devorim 11:12).
After I arrived home from Eretz Yisroel, I realized that during my five-day trip, I had quite a few “incidental” meetings.
When I was visiting students in Yeshivat Netiv in direct vicinity of the Kosel, I asked them if Rav Nebenzahl was in yeshiva. They told me that not only was he there, but he was attending a b’ris on the porch outside where I was standing. I was able to attend the b’ris and see Rav Nebenzahl serve as sandek.
There was one Heichal alumni that for whatever reason I didn’t see while I was visiting Netiv. He and I both felt badly that we missed each other. Later that afternoon, as I turned onto a street in the Geulah neighborhood, I literally almost bumped into him as he was walking down that street.
In previous years I went to Rabbi Gamliel Rabinowitz for a beracha. It entailed waiting for some time for the brief audience, but it was worth the wait. This year however, I didn’t have time to go.
When I arrived at the Kosel on Motzei Shabbos, Rabbi Gamliel was just leaving, and I was able to receive a quick beracha.
For those familiar with the Meaningful Minute status, it was also fun meeting “Yankel,” the Erev Shabbos dancer, at a pizza shop while I was there meeting with students.
My last day in Eretz Yisroel I went to the Kosel and davened mincha at the minyan of Rabbi Yaakov Ades. That was a very inspiring experience.
Then, as I was leaving the Old City through Sha’ar Yafo, I noticed one of my current ninth grade students purchasing something in a small store at the edge of the Shuq. He had wanted to meet up with me in Eretz Yisroel but any plans to meet didn’t work out. But then we met “by chance”.
While walking through the Machaneh Yehudah Shuq shortly before leaving to the airport, I walked past a Rebbe of mine and his wife. I had just spoken to that Rebbe at length in his home in Monsey a week earlier. During the meeting, he shared that he was coming to Eretz Yisroel but would only arrive shortly before I left. It was fascinating that we met up in Yerushalayim during the very brief window when we were there together.
Our lives are limited and confined by time and place. Redemption occurs at an exact moment and then transcends physical limitations. In that sense being in Eretz Yisroel always has a taste of redemption.
Whenever someone returns from a visit to Eretz Yisroel I am particular to never say “welcome home”, but rather “welcome back!” No matter where we live and for how long we are there, we only have one home.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum
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