Growing Stronger | Rabbi David Pinto

Most of my stories happened in the airports, on planes, in boats, in the street. It’s there where you see people. I was going from Paris to Nice. I had to fly. It was an urgent trip. The plane was full, and I had a seat in the front where there are three seats. I was near the window, the middle was empty, and in the aisle was a man sitting there. And I was praying to Hashem that nobody will come to sit next to me. But when they closed the doors of the plane, I was so happy, I said: Thank you, Hashem. And suddenly, the steward opened the door. Unfortunately, there was a lady with a dog, and they gave her to be in the middle, just next to me. Just imagine. I had to be careful during two hours, I had to push myself near the window, not to look. And the dog was touching my foot, he was touching my clothes. And I had to be careful not to look at him, because by looking at him, I had to look at her, and I didn't want. It was השם ישמור, you know? With the Yetzer Hara you have to be careful. Baruch Hashem, the plane arrived. Now when the plane arrived, I was happy. I wanted to stand up to get out, and she told me: No, sir. I have to stay sitting till the end because I have a dog. I have to let everybody go out. I said: Madam, I have to go out. And I didn't look at her. She told me: Ah, you don't look at me? I said: Madam, I'm blind. I don't see very well. So she said: Anyway, I cannot let you out because I have to let everybody go out. I told Hashem: Hashem, why are you doing that to me? After another 15 minutes of suffering, she stood up with the dog, she left, and then I left. I said: Hashem, thank you. Because sometimes only through Nisyonot, Hashem sometimes tests you how strong you are. It's not that Hashem wants to make us suffer. No. Hashem brings you Mitzvot. Hashem trains you how to be careful. How if you really want not to look, you will not look. That's what I did. And after, I was so happy, that I beat my Yetzer Hara. When you respect וימאן, you refuse, so HaKadosh Baruch Hu gives you a big reward. What reward does He give you? He gives you more Kochot to withstand this kind of Nisyonot. שכר מצוה - מצוה. What is the reward of a Mitzvah? Hashem will bring you another Mitzvah. תודה רבה, ברכה והצלחה to the organization Vayimaen. שיעלו, שיזכו את הרבים, אמן ואמן.