Every year, after we finish Ne’ilah, we dance with simcha, having bitachon that we succeeded in our goal and that we have been granted a blessed year. In fact, Chazal tell us that the four species that we take on Sukkos are actually a representation of that victorious belief.
I would like to suggest that the following story illustrates a concept brought down in the seforim hakadoshim, that even if, G-d forbid, we were not granted a year of success, our decree can still be changed over the Yom Tov of Sukkos, as it is “zman simchaseinu.”
An Arab driving a brand new vehicle approached the checkpoint at a border crossing between “Israel Proper” and the “West Bank”. The soldiers checked all his papers, and everything seemed to be in order. However, something felt “fishy” about this man. They had no proof that anything was amiss, so reluctantly they were going to allow him to pass. But a moment before they told him, “Proceed”, the commander from behind them said, “Stop him! That vehicle is stolen!” As the commander ran to the bewildered driver, he said, “If you tell the truth your sentence will be lighter. Is this vehicle stolen?” The Arab’s jaw dropped, surprised that he was caught, and admitted that the vehicle was stolen. The amazed soldiers asked the commander, “How did you know?” He answered, “I was standing behind the car and I saw a bumper sticker with the phrase “Ein Ode Milvado”. I assumed that this Arab did not believe in this motto, and immediately realized that the car was stolen.
The soldiers quickly found out who the car owner was and contacted him, telling him that he could pick his car up at the border checkpoint. When the owner asked how they discovered that the car was stolen, they told him that it was via the bumper sticker. The owner was shocked and proceeded to tell the following story: I bought this car just a few hours ago, and as I drove by a yeshiva some of the bochurim who were standing there said to me, “It looks like you bought a new car. You should put something on your car to express your gratitude to Hashem, and to show that you realize everything comes from Him.” They gave me an “Ein Ode Milvado” bumper sticker and I put it on the back of my car. I then went to a grocery store to buy something, and when I came out, I discovered that my car had been stolen! I immediately called the Rosh Yeshiva in disgust, telling him how HIS bochurim had given me this sticker, and yet my car was stolen a few moments later! The Rosh Yeshiva responded to me, “If you really believe what the sticker says, then it will turn out well.” At that moment, I strengthened my emunah and bitachon in Hashem, and exactly at that time is when you contacted me about my car.
As this story suggests, even if good things weren’t destined for you, nevertheless, the belief that one has in Hashem, that things will turn out good, can change the outcome.
As we stand after Yom Kippur, our feeling throughout Sukkos should be one of celebrating our success. If we truly believe it, even if it was not predestined, we can change the outcome to be in our favor.
