Bezeq, Repairs, and Yum Bum Bum- Part Two

Say it with me, my handyman is a mensch.

He’s a wonderful Sephardi guy, with 9 kids of his own, plus two ‘adopted’ children that he’s raising. I say it in quotes because I think that nothing is formal, but he basically took in two children with no place to go who were on the streets. He’s saving their lives- they will become normal frum Jews, with a warm, loving family to come home to.

So, my handyman shows up after we moved in and asks where we are for Shabbos. We answered, since it’s our first Shabbos, and I don’t even have an oven that works yet, we’re going out for meals. So he replies, “Then I’ll make you some fish for Shabbos. Not too spicy, I know you’re Ashkenazi.” We smile, thinking it just a kind comment.

Fast forward to Friday afternoon. My handyman comes over to put in my oven, and to install my gas range. But in his hand is a pot. Special delivery, he says. Fish for Shabbos. I was flabbergasted. But, true to his word, he had brought over delicious fish. He looked around my kitchen- no blech (plata- the heating deviced used to keep food warm on Shabbos), he asks? It seems our blech got lost through the moving process. No problem, he says. Next thing I know, he schlepped a plata over to my house just in time for Shabbos. Oh, and the fish was delicious.

The next week, he said he was going to fix my Yunkers and second oven. So I offered him this time, to bake him a delicious cake for Shabbos. I baked one of my favorites (courtesy of Rachaeli Geizhals who was featured on this blog earlier) and presented him with it when he came to fix my oven. He was happy, but happier, when he sat down with Mr. NMF to teach him how to install a plug. It seems this is one of those ‘guy time’ moments- that changing a plug is something they have to know for all eternity to keep their household running smoothly.

Then Mr. NMF and my handyman got into a Torah discussion about fixing things, and learning a parnassah, as opposed to learning Torah exclusively, or just ‘having bitachon’ that manna will fall down from heaven and feed your family. It’s amazing- even my handyman is well versed in Torah knowledge.

He came back Motzei Shabbos, with his right hand man (his son, one of the boys he ‘adopted’), and fixed my Yunkers. Then he headed off to a shiur. I fed them both cookies before they left, and handed a bag for the rest of the family to go. His son offered to distribute them the next morning for school. (For all those who don't know, Israelis have school on Sunday.)

Say it with me- he’s a mensch. Oh, and he'll be back next week to fix all the other stuff going wrong. Thank G-d.

Part Three coming soon.