I always enjoy retelling the story of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717–1787) as he hurried to be with his rebbe Dov Ber the Maggid of Mezritch for Shabbos.

The hour was late and Reb Elimelech was in a rush. Suddenly a non-Jewish Polish man called out “Zhid! Come over here and help me load these packages onto my donkey!”

Reb Elimelech looked at the quickly setting sun answered “I can’t sorry ” and continued on his way. The Pole yelled after Rav Elimelech “Don’t tell me you can’t tell me the truth; you could if you wanted to you just don’t want to!”

Reb Elimelech stopped in his tracks. He looked Heavenwards and said “Hashem everything has a reason and everyone is Your messenger. That man was sent my way to have me realize that every time I think I cannot do Your bidding I should realize that in truth I could do it if I wanted to; I just don’t want to!”

This past Shabbos Chanukah I met Elaine Greenstein (name changed) on my way to shul. She remarked that now that most of her children are married there are only two or three menorahs in the home. She fondly recalled the days when all of her brood was home and there were nine menorahs to be lit.

As she began to wax nostalgic she remarked “Do you know Rabbi it was because of Shabbos Chanukah and my Polish cleaning woman that I’m always in Shabbos clothes before I bentsch licht on Friday night? No matter how rushed I am I know I have to be in Shabbos clothes to light the candles!”

I looked at her with a quizzical glance. She continued:

“It must have been almost 18 years ago Erev Shabbos Chanukah. I was pressed for time and hurrying to get all the kids ready to light their menorahs before Shabbos. Finally after what seemed like a mini-Chanukah miracle all the children were in Shabbos clothes and we were ready to light all nine menorahs.

“As we stood near the window and each child took his turn at lighting all of them decked in their Shabbos finery it was a beautiful sight to behold and Agatha my non-Jewish cleaning woman stopped what she was doing to watch the beautiful picture of family harmony.

“After all of the children had lit and my husband and boys began preparing to go to shul I approached my own “menorah” namely the Shabbos candles. As I lit the candles a feeling of warmth and kedushah permeated the entire house. Agatha was getting ready to leave but first said “Mrs. Greenstein I do not want to be rude but can I ask you something about your religion?”

Agatha was always polite and respectful and I knew if she had a question it would be sincere so of course I told her to ask.

“Mrs. Greenstein” she began hesitantly “I noticed that you made sure all of the children were in their special Shabbos clothes before they lit their lights. However I saw that you were still wearing your robe when you lit your lights. In your religion are Shabbos clothes only for the children?”

“Rabbi from that day on I have never bentsched licht without being in Shabbos clothes!”

The ability to learn from all of life’s messengers is an important skill to cultivate. The messengers and their messages are always there; we just have to want to tune in.