A dramatic story of middah k’neged middah has emerged following the near-drowning of a yeshiva student in the Modiin area earlier this week, a rescue his family believes was foreshadowed by a powerful dream and preceded by a quiet act of kindness.

Search efforts have continued for a third day for Moishe Ludmir, a student at the Boyan yeshiva in Modiin Illit, who was swept away by strong currents. His close friend, Shimi Rosenblatt, attempted to save him and was himself carried into the rushing waters. Shimi survived the ordeal and escaped with his life, which his family describes as nothing short of a miracle.

Speaking about the rescue, Shimi’s father, R’ Binyamin Rosenblatt—an askan from Beit Shemesh and a member of the Boyaner community—shared a remarkable account linking the incident to events that took place just days earlier.

According to R’ Binyamin, last Friday afternoon, as he does every Erev Shabbos, he went to the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok mikveh in Beit Shemesh. Before entering, he stopped briefly at the small shop near the mikveh to purchase something.

At one point, a box of candies accidentally fell from another customer’s hands, spilling across the floor. The man became visibly flustered and embarrassed, unsure how to react as the candies scattered.

R’ Binyamin immediately intervened. “It’s my fault,” he said without hesitation. “I did it, and I’ll pay for everything.” He added with a smile, “These things happen—even to people over fifty.” He then approached the shopkeeper and paid for the spilled candies in full.

The yungerman involved tried to reimburse him, but R’ Binyamin firmly refused. “Absolutely not,” he told him. “I already paid.” The man thanked him warmly and they parted ways.

R’ Binyamin then entered the mikveh, returned home, and lay down to rest before Shabbos. During his sleep, he experienced a disturbing dream. He saw himself trapped in a raging stream, being swept away by powerful waters. Four times he tried to lift his head above the surface, unsuccessfully. In the dream, he began to say Shema Yisroel, and at that moment, he awoke.

Several days later, on Tuesday afternoon, that very image became reality, this time involving his son. Shimi was swept into the waters of the Modiin stream and found himself in grave danger. Through what the family describes as open nissim and tremendous siyata diShmaya, he managed to escape alive.

Reflecting on the events, R’ Binyamin said the story carries a profound lesson about the power of even a small act of chesed, especially when it spares another person from embarrassment. “Helping someone in a moment of busha,” he said, “has a כח far greater than we realize.”

{Matzav.com}