Rabbi Mendel and Mushky Gurary from Buffalo NY watched from the side of the road as their car was consumed by flames, thanking Hashem that they escaped just in time. But that wasn’t the only miracle…
By Anash.org reporter
Rabbi Mendel and Mushky Gurary from Buffalo NY were cruising along the highway with their young toddler when they noticed that something was wrong with their car.
It was erev Shvii Shel Pesach, the last day of Chol Hamoed, and the Gurary family were just a few minutes into their ride from Monsey, when the transmission started malfunctioning and the car was slowing down.
Rabbi Gurary pulled over to the shoulder and brought the car to a stop. Another car pulled over right in front of them, and the driver called out that smoke was coming out of the front hood of their car, and everyone should get out as quickly as possible.
Rabbi Mendel and Mushky quickly jumped out, unbuckled their baby from the back seat and moved a safe distance away. He then approached the car, opened the hood and saw a fire beginning to spread. Just a few minutes later, the car was completely engulfed in flames.
“Boruch Hashem, with a lot of nissim, we got out right in time.” Rabbi Gurary told Anash.org. “I was even able to save a chitas, tzedaka box, a kovetz chidushei torah, and a Chassidishe Derher from the flames.”
The police and fire department arrived soon after and extinguished the fire.
A frum couple that was passing by stayed with the Gurarys and helped them throughout the ordeal, making sure they were safe and giving them a ride to their next location.
“That was the nes on erev Shvii Shel Pesach, Chodesh Nissan, month of nissim!” Rabbi Gurary exclaimed.
But that’s not all. A second nes was discovered a few days later.
On Isru Chag, when Rabbi Mendel went to get his talis and tefillin to daven Shacharis, he noticed that his Rashi Tefillin were missing. He looked all around and eventually realized that they must have been in the car that was burned.
On erev Yom Tov, he had gone on mivtzoim and accidentally left the tefillin in the car on the way home, and so they were in the trunk when the accident took place.
“I was worried that the tefillin had been destroyed, since the car was completely burned to a crisp and only the frame was left,” Rabbi Gurary said. “The thought was really bothering me. The tefillin got burned because they were used for mivtzoim? How could it be?”
The place where the car was towed to was closed on Isru Chag, which was Sunday, but Rabbi Mendel still had a little bit of hope that the Tefillin survived. The next morning, he went over to check the car.
“I opened the trunk, where you can see that the stroller and everything else that was there was completely burned. I dug underneath and found the bag with the Tefilin inside, intact,” he said. “Mamash a nes goluy!”
Rabbi Gurary brought the tefillin to a sofer to make sure that they were not affected by the blaze, and the sofer confirmed that the parshiyos are totally kosher. Only the bag was slightly ruined.
Rabbi Gurary took great inspiration and strength from the fact that Hashem saved his Tefillin, noting that Hashem protects and the Rebbe gives brachos that nothing bad should happen to those who are doing His mitzvos, and even the objects used are protected.
“This incident inspired me to be more careful with the mitzvah of Tefilin and to increase in helping others with putting on Tefilin,” he said.
To help the Gurarys with getting a new car, please donate at:
Zelle – 3479268784
Cashapp – 8456648526
PayPal – www.paypal.me/lchaimvlivracha
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