This is the true story of an old man who died in Jerusalem sometime ago. As the custom requires, one must bury the dead as quickly as possible, if possible before sunset.

This man had bought two tombs in the cemetery of Givat Shaul, one for his wife, and the other one for himself. On the day of his passing, the Arab worker who was responsible for digging the graves was called to quickly dig the grave for the deceased man.

At the time of the burial, we discovered that the Arab worker had been mistaken. He hadn’t dug a hole in the place intended for the husband, as instructed, but in the place intended for his wife! In Jewish cemeteries, however, we try as much as possible to bury a man next to another man, or a woman next to another woman. For example, when three couples are buried next to each other, the man will be laid to rest next to his wife, who in turn will be buried next to a woman who will be side by side next to her husband, and then the husband with his wife, and so on.

Upon this discovery, the gravedigger was called urgently to dig the adjacent grave as time was running out because Shkia was fast approaching. However, he had already returned back to his village and told them that it was impossible for him to return now.

With no other options at hand, the men of the Chevra Kadisha began digging the new grave. The funeral progressed without further ado, and everyone went home.

Sometime later, the son of the deceased man met one of the Chevra Kadisha members, who had dug his father's grave. "I would like to sincerely thank you for what you did on the day of my father's burial. You dug the grave even though it was not your job at all, and it was hard work. I wasn't in the right mindset at that moment to thank you, but now that I see you, I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart." He appreciated the man’s gratitude: "Yes, I did it, even if it was not my job, but at the same time, we had no choice."

The son told him: "I still want tell you that what happened, as it is really incredible. 13 years ago, when my father bought his tomb, he called me and said: ‘When I die, I want it to be a Jew digging my grave, not a non-Jew, as the custom says."

To this the son answered: "Drop it Dad. It's impossible. It's always Arabs who dig the graves."

The father insisted however: "Ok, so if you do not want to, I'll write it in my will."

"Dad, don’t make our lives complicated. I am telling you it's the same for everyone. Why do you want to do something different? Give up the idea! It won’t be possible, believe me!" the son replied.

To which the father answered "If you think that it is impossible, then I will ask Hashem directly. Nothing is impossible for him.”

And the son concludes his story :"It has been 13 years since my father prayed that a Jew would be the one digging his grave, and now his prayer has been answered by you!"

Nothing is impossible for Hashem. Just ask Him...

Ora Derhy