Page 50 - HaMizrachi_Tu BiShvat_AUS_5781

GENERAL INTEREST

The Tree That Saved My Life

By Aharon Botzer

hen my children were young, wasn’t feeling well, so I stopped to rest, And as I looked up, I saw a branch right
they would race down from had a bite to eat, and felt a bit better. above my head. I was sitting under a
Wour home in the Old City I was suffering from low blood sugar. I carob tree. Hanging there, just within
of Tzfat to the Nachal Amud valley reach, were three large, fresh carobs,
below. Their record was 28 minutes. should have recognized the signs. not the dry kind you sometimes find,
That was our backyard – the sloping O n e o f t h e p a r t i c i p an t s w a s a l s o no t but high in natural sugar. I quickly
t
but hig
One of the participants was also not
ural sug
. I quic
ly
ar
h in na
k
descent of the mountain, the streams feeling well, so we stopped again at a pic k e d one, g na w ing it s c he w y f le s h a s
picked one, gnawing its chewy flesh as
f
t a
opp
ling we
o we st
ll, s
e
d ag
ain a
e
e
and the springs, the trees, stones and p a t h t ha t le d up t o wher e t he bu s w a s . fast as I could. I picked the next one,
ould. I pic
e
s I c
k
x
t one,
he ne
d t
a
f
st a
path that led up to where the bus was.
all the great hiding spots. I stayed back to make sure she got there and t hen t he t hir d u n t il I f inally f e lt m y
and then the third until I finally felt my
k t
her
he got t
e sur
a
ye
ac
e s
d b
I st
o mak
e
leg return to normal and I could catch
alright while the rest of the group con-
As I drank my morning cup of coffee alr ig h t while t he r e st of t he g r oup c on - le g r e t ur n t o nor mal and I c ould c a t c h
up with the group.
and studied the sun’s rays reflecting tinued with another guide. up with the group.
on the mountain, I would discern But when I got up to continue I c olle c t t e d s ome dr ie d
e
I collected some dried
c
I c
d
olle
o c
on
But when I got up t
tin
But when I got up to continue
But when I got up t
tin
on
ue
o c
ue
yet another hidden golden path that w w alk ing , I f e lt m y le g f r r e e eze. c aro b s f ro
c aro b s sar
f ro m mr m
f
c
o
o
b
g f
y le
walking, I felt my leg freeze.
e
lt m
alk
eze.
ing
, I f
would be our Friday morning excursion ar ound t he tr e e
around the tree
around the tree
l
I
i
.
y
e
a
t
n
k
e
w imm
e
d
through the valley up to Har Meiron. I I knew immediately. I and broug
br
and
and
brought htought
was suffering from
My children have all married and left w a s suf f er ing f r om them home as
hem home a
t
them home as
s
home now, but when I look out of our diabetic shock. a reminder of
a r
a reminder of
eminder of
window, and when I hike down to the I w a s alon e m y p ers onal
my personal
my personal
I was alone
valley, it brings back some very sweet among the trees. mirac le.
le.
mirac
miracle.
memories. I had my phone I lik e t o t e ll
I like to tell
I’ve hiked through Nachal Amud thou- with me, but this story to
sands of times. Sometimes I lead groups there was no m y g randc hil
there was no
my grandchil-
or go with my wife, my children and service. dren, to guests
dren, to guests
grandchildren; other times, I go alone. I tr ie d t o w alk at my Shabbat
y Sha
t
bb
a
a
t m
I tried to walk
I see G-d in the nature around me, and table, and to
table, and to
but very soon
the quiet serenity allows me to open my but ver y s o on the groups I lead
the groups I lead
I couldn’t walk
heart to Him. I couldn’t walk dow n t o t he v alle y . I
down to the valley. I
at all.
t t
e
s not r
ally
’
ally
e
’
ll t
hem it
hem it
e
s not r
ll t
e
But one time, it was anything but quiet tell them it’s not really
My head began to spin, and I
My head began to spin, and I
t
t
me. I
t
e t
t
ve
ha
me. I
’
he
he
t
ha
d
t
e t
tr
s
d
s
sa
tr
e
’
ve
he
e
sa
he
serenity. M y he ad b e g an t o spin, and I t t the tree that saved me. It’s the
knew if I didn’t manage to raise One Who c r e a t e d t he tr e e t ha t b or e t he
knew if I didn’t manage to raise
One Who created the tree that bore the
Five years ago, I was leading a group of my blood sugar soon, I would lose f fruit that saved my life; the One Who
e
a
lo
s
d
s
ug
o
m
o
, I wo
on
y
r s
blo
uld
he One Who
r
uit t
ve
t sa
y lif
d m
e; t
ha
American students and tourists on a consciousness. . answered me when I turned my eyes in
ons
c
c
ss
sne
iou
e
y
s
m
d
when
e
wer
ur
t
me
d
ne
in
ye
ans
I
three-day hike from the Mediterranean prayer to the Heavens.
e
a
he H
vens
yer t
pra
o t
.
But what could I do? I couldn’t move.
to the Kinneret. But what could I do? I couldn’t move. When life pulls you down, I tell them,
When life pulls you down, I tell them,
T
dy t
o sa
ve me,
o
e would b
her
e nob
I should have known something was There would be nobody to save me, look up.
look up.
dy t
o f
nob
o
t
o
ind me. I sunk dow
n on
wrong. nobody to find me. I sunk down onto
a stone. My mind began to fill with
I’d been diagnosed with diabetes some thoughts of death and despair...
years earlier. One can suffer from either
high blood sugar – hyperglycemia, or Until I did what every Jew does when
low blood sugar – hypoglycemia. Either they are in need of help – I turned my Aharon Botzer is founder and CEO of Livnot
one can be life-threatening. That day, I eyes toward the Heavens. U’Lehibanot.
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