In the Merit of Rabbi Eliezer ben Etia

R' David Ben Naim and his family were waiting in the dead of night at a hitchhiking post on Route 443 without a car to take them to their home in Modi'in Illit. After asking Hashem for a ride in the merit of Rabbi Eliezer ben Etia, an avreich (Torah scholar) stopped for them within five minutes and took them right to their doorstep, which strengthened the children's emunah (faith) in the power of tzaddikim.

Rabbi David Ben Naim, may Hashem protect him and sustain him, from Modi'in Illit, was invited this past year to a celebration in the settlement of Mevo Horon. This settlement is located on the main road between the holy city of Jerusalem and Modi'in Illit. Late at night, R' David stood together with his family at the bus stop on Route 443 heading towards Modi'in Illit, trying to catch a ride.

The clock was ticking and it was getting late

A few cars stopped for them, but they were all heading to different destinations. One was going to Modi'in but not Modi'in Illit, another was continuing to Tel Aviv, and one was traveling all the way up north. The clock was ticking and it was getting late, and it is not at all pleasant to stand at a hitchhiking post in the dead of night in the middle of Route 443, which is adjacent to Arab villages. R' David Ben Naim said to his children, "Let us ask Hashem, blessed be He, to send us a ride all the way home in the merit of Rabbi Eliezer ben Etia." At that very moment, a ride stopped for them, but it was not going to the Modi'in Illit area. One of the children cleverly remarked to his father that he felt it wasn't helping, because a car had indeed arrived, but not to Modi'in Illit.

A ride right to the building's entrance

But his father calmed him down and told him to wait patiently and he would see that a ride would come to take them all the way home. R' David believed with all his might in the power of the tzaddik, having seen open miracles in the past, but he understood the spirit of the child, who, due to his exhaustion, was struggling with pure emunah (faith) in the power of the tzaddikim. And behold, not even five minutes passed, and an avreich (Torah scholar) heading to Modi'in Illit stopped for them. Although he was going to a different neighborhood, he happily offered to take them right to the entrance of the building where they live. Now the child also tangibly believes in the power of the true tzaddikim of the generation. Fortunate are we to have merited this.

From the book "Pele Elyon, Part 3"