Once, when Grandpa Jules was strolling in Chicago, a thug
stepped out of the shadows, pointing a gun. "Wallet or life,"
he snarled.
With a look of resignation, Grandpa Jules reached into his
back pocket as if to take out his wallet . . . then lunged at
the would-be thief with a drawn army knife. "YOUR life!!!" he
roared. The mugger fled.
My son informs me that Grandpa Jules learned the above at a
self-defense course for the elderly, which, frankly, I find
hard to believe. They actually teach senior citizens to show
aggression to armed assailants? My guess is that Grandpa
always carries a knife, due to growing up in New York, and
his quick reflexes are from having served in the armed
forces.
For those of us fortunate to be living here `peacefully' in
Eretz Yisroel, our preparations are less dramatic. Yael's
father trained his children to take an umbrella whenever they
left the house in winter, regardless of whether it was
raining or looked like it would rain or not. In the summer,
they equip themselves with a water bottle. It really does
come in handy, so don't complain you don't want to shlep
it.
Going out with a baby? Make sure to bring a bottle and diaper
just in case things take longer than expected. If baby's
staying at home, leave a bottle for the babysitter even if
the baby's sleeping, as babies tend to wake up (especially
when Mother's away — they have a sixth sense) without
prior notice.
More travel tips are to always have extra cash on hand just
in case of missed busses, a change in plans, hunger, or
— well, you never know. Safety pins, tissues/wipes and
empty plastic bags (if someone doesn't feel well during
traveling) come in handy, also, if not for anyone in your
family, then perhaps for a fellow traveler.
When I was growing up, ladies used to carry around in their
purses a rain bonnet and a miniature sewing kit for "just-in-
case" repairs. At one wedding, a member of the family needed
some emergency sewing work. A young guest whipped out her
sewing kit and saved the day, which so impressed a relative
of the baal simchah that she subsequently made her
shidduch!
Parents of young children get accustomed to taking along
bibs, an extra change of clothing, a picture book to stave
off boredom and a snack. Baalebustas are known for having an
extra cake in the freezer to serve when unexpected company
drops by.
R' Avigdor Miller zt'l used to speak of the importance
of a husband preparing himself before entering the house that
he might find in disarray and bedlam, in order not to be so
shocked and disappointed that he react in a way that damages
his sholom bayis. Better to expect the worst and be
pleasantly surprised than to anticipate a rosy scenario and
be taken aback by the reality. Before school vacation,
prepare yourself that it's not vacation for Mommy, and start
writing down ideas with which to keep the children busy.
From Yaakov Ovinu's encounter with Esov, we learn of
preparing spiritually, physically and financially, which we
can apply to our own lives, with a big emphasis on prayer!
So, the next time the yetzer hora tries to tempt you
with yet another piece of cake, yell at him, "YOUR life!" and
whip out your (prepared) carrot sticks.
