You Didn’t See It by Accident

Remembering What It Felt Like

“You shall love the convert, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
— Devarim 10:19

This commandment appears again and again in the Torah. But why? Why is it so important that we’re reminded not just to be kind to the ger, but to love them?

Because we know what it feels like.

Ever walked into a room and felt like you didn’t belong?
Like everyone else had the code—and you missed the memo?

That’s what it means to be a stranger.
To be unfamiliar with the language, the culture, the way things work.
To feel overwhelmed, vulnerable, and out of place.

We Were Olim

When we made aliyah, we were showered with kindness by our neighbors. Strangers offered help in ways that felt almost supernatural. A hot cup of coffee when our house was still empty. Furniture. Meals. Smiles. Support.

Why? Because they had lived it.
They didn’t just remember—they felt it.

They remembered what it was like to arrive with nothing and to feel lost. And because of that shared experience, they were able to see us—and they acted.

This is what the Torah is teaching us. You don’t truly know how to help someone until you’ve walked that path yourself.

And in Eretz Yisrael, we’re witnessing kibbutz galuyot—Jews returning from every corner of the world. It’s happening in front of our eyes. We’re part of the story—and we each have a role to play.

If You Saw It, You Were Meant to Fix It

The Lubavitcher Rebbe famously said:

“If you see what needs to be repaired and know how to repair it, then you have found a piece of the world that G-d has left you to perfect.”

That idea shows up in Parshat Naso with the Sotah and the Nazir.

Chazal explain that the section of the Nazir follows the section of the Sotah because if someone sees the downfall of a Sotah, they’re meant to take a message from it. Watching someone else stumble isn’t just a story.
It’s a wake-up call.

It’s Hashem showing you something—so you can do something.
Hashem doesn’t just show you pain.
He hands you a mission.

Nothing Is Random

Every conversation, every struggle, every “coincidence”—it’s all by design. Hashem is always communicating. The problem is, most of us are too distracted to notice.

Sometimes we don’t want to notice.
Because once you notice… now you’re responsible.

But the more you train yourself to ask, “Why am I seeing this?”
The more your mission reveals itself.

The Stories That Shape Us

Rav Hershel Schachter once shared that he had trouble finding a wife, and then, after marrying, he and his wife struggled to have children. At the time, he was heartbroken and confused and asked Hashem, why?

But years later, he understood: those experiences gave him the depth and sensitivity to truly feel others’ pain. Now, countless people seek his guidance, comfort, and support.

Looking Back… and Waking Up

When I look back, I see so many signs Hashem sent me. But I didn’t recognize them at the time.

Back in Edmonton, I saw that no one was going to be running the local NCSY chapter in the coming year. I knew how important it was for the teens and the community. As Pirkei Avot teaches us, B’makom she’ein ish, hishtadel l’hiyot ish – In a place without a leader, try to be the leader. So my wife and I stepped up.

Similarly, a shiur for men in the community was about to stop because the rabbi who taught it each week moved away. I didn’t feel like a “teacher,” but I couldn’t watch the learning die. So I stood up again, along with a couple of others to teach.

Over and over, I was being nudged by Hashem.
I kept treating them like side projects.
But they weren’t the side.
They were the point.

Now, I’m writing Torah, sharing daily, running programs like Habitachon and 4-Minute Gratitude, and reaching people all over the world.

And I’m just getting started.

Your Mission Might Be Hiding in Plain Sight

Still not sure what your purpose is?

Start here:
What breaks your heart?
What stirs your soul?
What lights you up inside, or won’t let you walk away?

Sometimes, your mission comes from pain—something you’ve lived through and now feel called to fix.
Other times, it comes from passion—a spark inside you, a pull toward something that just feels right.

Pay attention to what moves you.
To what keeps showing up.
To what you can’t stop thinking about.

That’s usually it.

I played in the “Play for Jay” basketball tournament fundraiser in high school. We played to raise money to get people tested to see if they were a match as a bone marrow donor that could save Jay Feinberg’s life.

We see this truth again and again—
People who turn pain into purpose.

Jay is a perfect example. Diagnosed with leukemia, he needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. His friends and family did everything to find a match—and they did. After recovering, Jay created the Gift of Life organization, building one of the largest bone marrow registries in the world and has saved countless lives through it.

Because he didn’t look away.
He turned his own miracle… into a movement.

Living the Dream Means Living Awake

Most people live in a daze.
They scroll, they vent, they sigh—
But they don’t stop to see.

But the people who live the dream—they do something about it.
They don’t need the perfect plan.

They just need the clarity to say:
“If I saw it, it’s because Hashem wants me to do something.”

You weren’t put here to coast.
You were put here to care.

You’re not just here to survive.
You’re here to notice.
To feel.
To respond.

The things you see…
The things that break your heart…
The things that stir your soul…

They’re not distractions.
They’re directions.

🔥 Weekly Challenge

Ask yourself:

What situations keep showing up in your life?
What experiences have given you deeper empathy than most people?
What’s something you can’t unsee—and maybe you’re not supposed to?

Then ask:

What’s one small step I can take to respond?
Even if it’s just picking up the phone, starting a conversation, or offering to help.

Because maybe the change you’re waiting for…
Is waiting for you to start it.

You don’t need to change the world.
You just need to change your world.
And the ripples will follow.

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