During these winter months, Shabbos begins very early. Fridays are really short.  There’s so much hecticity and rushing to get ready on time, especially when candle lighting is at 4:10pm.  

Can you imagine how difficult it is for people who didn’t grow up frum, are new to Shabbos, and need to leave work early to get back in time for Shabbos? Here’s an incredible story of a BJX student and the challenge of an early Erev Shabbos. 

Alex was an unaffiliated Jew who spent his entire life, almost thirty years, not keeping Shabbos. At BJX, he learned and grew and slowly took on Shabbos observance. It isn’t easy changing one’s entire routine and itinerary. It is especially challenging in the winter and especially daunting and formidable on Shabbos Chanukah, when one must leave extra time to light candles. Alex made every provision on Friday, Erev Shabbos, to leave his job in Queens early. He thought of every contingency plan. Despite all his efforts, alas, he got detained at work and was running late. When he put on Waze it registered that he wouldn’t reach Flatbush until 4:40pm. It couldn’t be. Sunset was at 4:28pm! Crisis!

As someone new to Shemiras Shabbos, Alex had never encountered such stress before. He had also never experienced such moral clarity and conviction before. Shabbos now meant the world to him. There was no way he would violate Shabbos.

Alex learned in one of his classes a beautiful Midrash: Hashem says “Open for me an opening the size of a needle and I will open for you an opening the size of which wagons can enter.” (Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabbah)

We only need to show initiative and resolve the size of a tiny needle and Hashem will take over the rest

Alex made the opening the size of a needle. He resolved that he would abandon his car and possessions in East New York and walk to BJX. He wouldn’t desecrate the holy Shabbos.

Suddenly, at that moment, Waze, unbelievably, changed. Waze was going wild! First the ETA became 4:35pm and then 4:30pm and then finally it showed 4:20pm. Alex couldn’t believe the miracle unfolding before his eyes!

Alex parked his car, a few blocks away on Flatbush Avenue, and walked to shul. We were in the middle of Kabbalas Shabbos when I noticed Alex amidst the crowd as he came into BJX. I couldn’t explain it but there was a heavenly glow on his face; the Shechina. I only found out later why he had such a heavenly countenance. This wasn’t an ordinary Kabbalas Shabbos for Alex. It was a Kabbalas Shabbos of epic proportion, in which he opened an opening the size of the eye of a needle to greet the Shabbos Majesty and Hashem, miraculously, opened up the traffic to draw him close.  

Not long after his Shabbos miracle, Alex made the exceedingly brave decision to have a Bris Milah. Fast forward to today. Baruch Hashem, Alex is completely Torah observant and is raising a beautiful Frum family.  

This is just one of countless stories of students who did the seemingly impossible and changed their lives around. How does this happen? These changes happen because our students dare to dream. 

This week’s Parsha is about dreams.  According to Maharal, the word Adam, a human being, comes from the word Dimyon, the ability to imagine and dream. Only humans have dreams and aspirations, only humans can imagine a better tomorrow. Only humans can dream about things that are beyond their true perception. A person can dream about someone who doesn’t exist. A person can dream about someone who once existed. A person can dream about someone who will exist.

BJX was built on a dream. There was no Kiruv center in Brooklyn. There were thousands of Jews, our brothers and sisters living amongst us, who had no affiliation or connection. Baruch Hashem, with great Siyata Dishmaya, today, that dream has borne tremendous results. We must continue dreaming and realize that with Hashem’s help and love of our fellow Jews, anything is possible.