One day while in my Brooklyn office, I received an alarming call from my daughter in Lakewood. “Smoke alarms are beeping non stop in the house”. Asked her to please check for a possible cause. Shortly thereafter she called back saying, that she sensed a strange burning smell, but didn’t know from where it was coming. Told her to immediately call the fire department. The firemen arrived and checked the main two floors, but found nothing. Then they went down to the basement. As they opened the door they were overcome by smoke. After searching for a while, they found the cause of the fire and how it had shockingly extinguished itself. Hard to believe what happened. I didn’t either at first. It was Hashem’s way of saying, I am guarding over you and yours, even though you are not around, to do it yourself.
Someone had left a hairdryer on the sink counter, plugged into the outlet. Although the switch was off, it somehow ignited itself and started a fire. While the hairdryer burnt, it also ignited the laminate counter top, spreading the fire. (Unbeknown to us at the time, electricity can pulsate through a hair dryer, when left plugged into an outlet, even when switch is off). Resting on the counter at that time, was a plastic bottle containing liquid soap. As the fire increased, it slowly melted the plastic bottle, causing the liquid soap to ooze out and eventually extinguish the fire.
What the firemen found was a burnt counter and the charred remnants of what was once a hair dryer. Their services were not required. The Guardian of Israel, who neither sleeps nor slumbers took care of it. הני לא ינום ולא ישן שומר ישראל
Will never forget the miracle Hashem orchestrated that day and the protection He provided. Easy to imagine what would have happened, if the liquid soap bottle was put away and not left on the counter top. Could have lost everything in no time. Hashem literally sent the רפואה before the מכה. He arranged for the bottle to be left there, in order for it to extinguish the fire. We are taught, אם ה’ לא ישמר עיר, שוא שקד שומר. If Hashem doesn’t guard the city, the watchmen’s vigilance is in vain. My family experienced the true meaning of these words first hand. There was absolutely nothing in our power to avoid what happened. The fire did not start because of carelessness, nor did it extinguish itself because of vigilance. The whole episode, start to finish, was totally out of our control. Thanks to Hashem there was enough liquid in the plastic soap bottle, to ooze out all over the counter and extinguish the fire itself.
Now a large sign is permanently posted over the burnt counter top, that reads .ברוך, שעשה לי נס במקום הזה
Blessed are you Hashem, for performing a miracle for me at this place. It serves as a constant reminder, that we owe it all to Him.
How fragile our lives are. In one moment, everything we worked for and collected all our lives, could have been lost, were it not for Hashem’s endless protection. We therefore view everything we still have, as a new gift from Hashem, everyday. How humble and grateful we need to always be to you Hashem, for the kindness you bestowed upon our family, that frightful day. There are no words to adequately thank you. The recital and conveyance of this miracle, sings your praises.
