Weekly Chasidic Story#1479 (5786-31) 3 Iyar 5786 (April 20, 2026)

"Car Lotteries"

Our organization received a call from a family that didn’t doesn’t own a car. I explained that we don’t provide cars, but if I ever hear of a used car being given away, I would gladly try to help.

Why this week? In the Torah reading of Acharei Mot, we learn that there was a lottery in the First and the Second Holy Temple on Tom Kippur day!

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Car Lotteries

A while back, I received a call from a family who didn't own a car. They have eight children, and shopping is a real challenge. I could only imagine how difficult it must be for the mother to take all the kids on buses just to get groceries. I explained that our organization doesn't provide cars, but if I ever hear of a used car being given away, I would gladly try to help.

A week later, I noticed that Aishel Shabbat, a wonderful free-food distribution organization in Brooklyn, was holding a Chinese auction-and one of the prizes was a car. On a whim, I bought a ticket for this family. I even posted on Facebook, saying that if I won the car, I would give it to a family in need.

I was with my daughter when I bought the ticket and jokingly warned her, "Make sure your father actually gives the car if I win-I might be tempted to keep it!" She laughed and said, "Dad, don't worry. There are thousands of tickets. You won't win."

Two days later, I got a call from Aishel Shabbat: "Mr. Cohen, you won the car lottery!"

I was stunned. I went straight to share the news with the family, who were overjoyed. I told them, "It's not me. This is from G-D. I'm just a middleman."

A couple of years passed, and I received another call from a family in a similar situation: many kids, no car, and every day a struggle. I explained the same thing-our organization doesn't give out cars-but I'd let them know if I heard of any opportunities.

Then, a few weeks later, I received a text from Aishel Shabbat: "Last chance for our car raffle." I decided to try again. I posted on Facebook, sharing that two years ago, I had won a car and given it to a needy family, and that if I won again, it would go to another family in need.

A few days later, the unbelievable happened. Another text: "Mr. Cohen, you won the car raffle!"

I thought, "It can't be. It's impossible to win twice." But they assured me it was true: thousands of tickets, a barrel shaken, a young girl closing her eyes, and picking the winning ticket.

Once again, I was able to hand over a car to a family who truly needed it. Twice in two years, miracles happened, and two families' lives were made easier.

This experience reminds me that everything we have-our homes, our clothing, our cars-is a gift from G-D. We are all just middlemen for His blessings. The best we can do is be thankful and share those blessings whenever we can.
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Source: Freely adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from a submission to a WhatsApp stories group.

Why This Week? In the Torah reading of Acharei Mot, we learn that there was a lottery in both the Holy Temples on Tom Kippur day!

Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

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