An Accident, An Update, and a Blessing & a Curse, For Your Meal.
B"H
So a lot has been going on, as usual when I don't update my blog.
A few weeks ago, on a wednesday evening at 7:30 or so, I was driving my honda civic through a back road in Arkansas, a County road, that ends up going through a Church parking lot.
I slowed down to the approximate speed limit of 20 miles per hour (which isn't posted by the way), due to the amount of cars parked, as it was a congregating night for the Christian folk.
There was a line of cars to my right, all parked on the side of the road, about six or so.
As I reached the very last car in that line, a lincoln navigator SUV plowed into the passenger side of my car, destroying my axel, my frame, while simultaneously removing my mirror, into the SUV's grill. A loud crash, amongst flying civic skirts, metal, and plastic, introduced the screams, and disruption of my passengers. A friend of mine, sitting in the front seat passenger side, had his elbow on the head rest of my seat, which plowed into the side of my face, shoving me into my car's frame. Luckily, I lean my seat back pretty far, because had I been sitting up normal, my head would have hit my window, likely shattering it. My friend's girlfriend was in the back seat, passenger side, ending up with some bruising on her arms and legs, along with my front passenger, who suffered some minor injuries to his leg. Nothing but bruises, and a pit of post-accident recuperating for all of us, B"H none of us were seriously injured.
After the initial shock of the accident was over, I made sure my passengers were alright, and as I exited my vehicle, I asked if the lady who hit me, and her passengers were alright.
She replied with a "Yeah.", in a sly tone, the sound of someone who knew they were in the wrong, but refused to admit it.
She accused me of speeding, "flying by". I replied "No maam, this is a church zone, I was going 20 mph." Keeping a solid, respectable head in a situation like that, is the only way you can properly keep the peace between offender, and offended.
It's important at this time, to note that, I asked the lady about her safety, AS I was exiting my car.
I gathered my insurance and vehicle registration, and waited for the Sherrif to arrive.
As it's a County road, the Sherrif was necessary.
A few moments later, before the Sherrif arrived, the lady gathered my car parts (mostly side skirts) out of the road, and relocated them to the side of the parking lot. I'm not entirely sure if that's tampering with evidence, but it doesn't particularly matter now.
Some ladies stopped in a car, and asked me what happened, and after I explained, they claimed it was her fault for hitting me. They asked me to move my car out of the road, and reluctantly, I did, as they were members of the church, who I assume had precedence over that kind of thing. I asked if they witnessed the accident, and they promptly said no, and left.
The Sherrif arrived, spent a few moments with the lady, and as I found out later, he might have been flirting a bit with her? I can't rightly accuse any of the such, as I didn't see it, but that's what some parties said.
He called me over, and asked me if it was my car, I said yes.
He asked in a very intrusive tone, "Are you aware I have two witnesses claiming you weren't driving that car?"
Me: "Absolutely not. I wouldn't let anyone drive my car, as it's my parents, and insurance company's policy, not to do so, and I can't afford to let anything happen like that."
Officer: "Were your parents here at the time of the accident?"
Me: "No."
Officer: "Well then they couldn't have stopped you, could they?"
Me: "Yes, I respect my parents wishes."
Officer: "Alright, have a seat over there."
Later, he brought me and my passengers witness statements, which we filled out.
I watched my small, devastated car be anchored onto a tower, and drive away, it's last road trip.
It was actually quite sad for me, I loved that car.
Even though it had it's problems, (which were abundant, I assure you) it had character, and on top of that, it was mine.
Later on, the insurance company took my statements, and informed me of the witness statements against me.
My father did a lot of investigation on the accident, and it turned out the cars that were lined up on the side of the road, were all parked in no parking zones.
Diagraming maps, and taking photographs, he proved that there was no possible way the lady could have seen me. Which means her claim of my speeding, was not valid.
Eventually, the insurance company dropped the claim of someone else driving my car, for obvious reasons.
It's disappointing, in the least, the dishonesty of people who make mistakes.
I don't judge her, or the insurance company for falsely accusing me, I just hope that one day, may it be so, that these occurrences are Divinely judged, so that there may be no false accusations.
In any event, I've settled for a claim of $2,900 or so for my vehicle, after arguing with the insurance company, who tried to low ball me at a mere $2k to start off with.
I'm looking for a new (used) car now, hopefully I'll be blessed with another safe, small car, with good gas mileage. I hope for another civic, a honda at the least.
Add a cool air intake, and some exhaust work, and I can get my 45mpg that I long for again.
In any event, I know HaShem will bless me with what I need.
On top of all of this, I am going to Israel in June, to volunteer for the military for six weeks!
I'll be staying on an undisclosed base, somewhere close to Tel Aviv hopefully, doing any type of work that is needed to aid the soldiers. It'll be hard work, but I look forward to it, as I'll be giving back to a community I so heavily support.
Hopefully, I'll be able to bring back memories, stories, and enough information, to present it to local synagogues, and congregations. It would be wonderful, if my story could help others volunteer, or donate even a small amount to VFI, or other organizations.
But most of all, bring a warm welcome, to those who wish to help Israel, in her fight for independence, and security.
A wonderful Parshah, explaining some of the blessings, and cursings that can come from adhering, or neglecting HaShem's mitzvot.
There are some hidden gems in this Parshah, that I'd like to share with you, just a few.
Leviticus 26:5:
| 5. Your threshing will last until the vintage, and the vintage will last until the sowing; you will eat your food to satiety, and you will live in security in your land. | ה. וְהִשִּׂיג לָכֶם דַּיִשׁ אֶת בָּצִיר וּבָצִיר יַשִּׂיג אֶת זָרַע וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע וִישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶם |
Rashi, and the Talmud both have similar input on this verse, as follows is Rashi's commentary:
| you will eat your food to satiety: One will eat only a little [food], but it will become blessed in one’s innards. — [Torath Kohanim 26:6] | ואכלתם לחמכם לשבע: אוכל קמעא והוא מתברך במעיו: |
What does this mean to us?
That only a little food, will become blessed in one's stomach. Or in other words, you will be satisfied, and filled, by a small portion!
Does that mean, only a small portion will be granted? Certainly not!
For the Torah concurs later:
Verse 10:
| 10. You will eat very old [produce], and you will clear out the old from before the new. Clearly, there will be abundance for the children of Israel, who follow HaShem's mitzvot and covenant. But again, is it a blessing to eat the old produce, instead of the new? Certainly! Rashi follows:
So, in concordance, we not only find it will be a blessing unto those who hear His word, and keep his mitzvot, that they will be filled with a small older portion, that is just as good, if not better than new, abundant produce! What a blessing it is, to fill yourself with a small amount, and give the rest to those who need it, than to feast oneself with all of the new produce, and or to give the old to the needy. I personally advocate to each of you, that you might remember these passages, each time you eat your meal, that it might be a witness to you, and the portion and quality of your meal. Think not, what your meal can do for you, but what your meal could be doing for 10 of you. If you had 9 other hungry people, standing over you as you eat, would you ignore them? Their physical bodies may not be there, but their souls, may very well. I urge anyone, to contribute even the smallest fraction of their meals and budget, to a charitable cause. For it's a blessing to assist the poor, and the needy. B"H Azariah. | י. וַאֲכַלְתֶּם יָשָׁן נוֹשָׁן וְיָשָׁן מִפְּנֵי חָדָשׁ תּוֹצִיאוּ: |
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