Do you remember visiting the Kosel and seeing all types of Jews together? Didn’t that beautiful sight envelop you with immense pride and joy?  Did you ever wish you’d see such unity elsewhere?

Last Shabbos, BJX was packed with Jews of every conceivable background. A true mosaic of Yidden from all walks of life and different stages of observance. From Streimrel to cardboard Yarmulkah; black hat to ponytail. The Achdus and love was palpable and genuine. One Askan who joined commented, “If only the love that pervades BJX would transpire in different communities, Moshiach would certainly come.”

I suddenly noticed a young man, standing in the back of the very dense crowd, at Kabbalas Shabbos.  I thought he was a new face and ushered him to come closer. He said, “Rebbi, do you recognize me?” I honestly did not recognize him. He looked like a fine Yeshiva bochur but I didn’t recall meeting him before. Then I looked into his eyes and it suddenly hit me. “Yossi!” I pronounced. He said “Yes!” We immediately embraced. I was stunned. Yossi was a troubled teen who regularly attended the special programs at BJX for teens at risk. He had a difficult childhood and during his teen years made very unhealthy and deleterious choices. Baruch Hashem with tremendous love, devotion and time, he made an about face. I vividly recalled the love, patience and support we showered on him.

It was my first time seeing him since he was back from Eretz Yisroel. What an utter transformation!

When Avrohom is about to perform the Akeidah, the passuk says that he saw “HaMakom”, the place, “m’Rochok”, from a distance. The meforshim explain that HaMakom can also refer to Hashem, as it is one of His names. Thus, the passuk may mean that Avrohom was befuddled, bewildered and confused having been asked to sacrifice his heir and scion. What happened to Hashem’s promise that he would have a lineage and future? Avrohom was thrust into a crisis. He saw Hashem (HaMakom) from a distance. His vision was hazy and blurred. What gave Avrohom the ability to forge ahead and carry out Hashem’s orders as difficult as it seemed?

When Avrohom was promised a child at 99 years old, he was promised that the same angel would one day return for the child’s birth. Rashi, in Pardes HaGadol, asks that the Torah seemingly doesn’t record the angel resurfacing. When does the angel ever return?

The Torah says that the angel said, “I will return to you “Ka’eis Chaya.” This can also be interpreted to mean at the time when one is in need of life. Rashi says that the angel did indeed come back to Avrohom, not at Yitzchok’s birth but when his life needed to be saved. Just when Avrohom is about to sacrifice Yitzchok, an angel appears on the scene cautioning him to spare Yitzchok’s life and let him live. The same Malach that predicted Yitzchok’s  birth, reappeared to save his life thirty seven years later.

Every Yiddishe child has a Malach that teaches them Torah in utero and has faith in them to grow up as devout Jews. The Malach never gives up on the child and no matter the struggle or deviant behavior, may resurface years later to rekindle and reignite the dormant Yiddishkeit. The angel will return to give the child life again. These were my thoughts when I saw the new “Yossi” on Friday night.