The Good Deed That Saved His Life: Rabbi Yitzchak Batzri’s Purim Story

It was early afternoon in the cardiology department at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. A respected Torah teacher happened to be visiting the ward when he noticed something unusual. Outside one of the rooms stood several police officers, holding thick stacks of paperwork. They were apologizing repeatedly to the patient inside, while the patient, visibly moved, thanked them again and again.

Curious about the scene, the teacher lingered. The patient noticed him and invited him closer. Sensing the curiosity, he smiled and said, “Let me tell you why they’re apologizing and why I’m so grateful.”

What followed was a story he would never forget.

A Simple Act of Kindness

“Just yesterday,” the patient began, “I was driving along a main road in Haifa when I saw a man frantically waving for help. He looked desperate. I pulled over, and he explained that he was in a terrible rush and needed to get somewhere urgently. He asked if I could give him a ride.

“I’m a friendly person, and it didn’t occur to me to hesitate. I told him to get in.”

They had barely driven a short distance when everything changed.

Sirens and Handcuffs

“Suddenly, sirens screamed behind us. Blue lights flashed from every direction. Four police cars boxed us in, blocking the road completely. Officers jumped out, armed and tense, shouting for me to turn off the engine and step out with my hands raised.

“I was stunned. I did exactly what they told me. Within seconds, I was handcuffed and led away, straight into a holding cell.”

Only then did he learn the truth.

“The man I had picked up was a dangerous robber. He had threatened people with a weapon and fled on foot. When the police saw him escape in my car, they assumed I was part of the crime. No explanation helped. The commander decided I would be held overnight and questioned again the next day.”

A Night That Felt Endless

“I was placed in a filthy cell with hardened criminals, people I had never encountered in my life. I stared at the walls and thought, how did I get here? I did a good deed. I helped someone. How could this happen?

“I knew that by morning the truth would come out, but the thought of spending the night there was unbearable.”

Looking for something to distract himself, he found a small first aid booklet lying in the cell.

“I began reading, and one section caught my eye. It explained heart attacks, their warning signs, and what to do in an emergency.”

That was when an idea formed.

A Desperate Plan

“I thought to myself, if I have to spend the night somewhere other than home, a hospital would be better than this place. So I memorized the symptoms listed in the booklet.”

Once he felt confident, he acted.

“I started gasping for air, clutching my chest, acting dizzy. Before long, guards noticed. Someone shouted that a detainee might be having a heart attack. An ambulance was called immediately.”

A Discovery That Changed Everything

The plan worked. He was rushed to the hospital, escorted by four officers, and taken directly to the cardiology department. Tests began right away.

“And then the doctors froze,” he said quietly.

“One of my main arteries was ninety-nine percent blocked. I had no idea. I wasn’t pretending anymore. I was moments away from a real heart attack.”

His family was called in urgently. A top specialist was summoned before dawn. An emergency cardiac catheterization was performed that very night, saving his life.

Gratitude for a Mistake

By the time he woke up from anesthesia, everything had changed.

“The police had already confirmed I was innocent. They realized I was just a kind person who had offered a ride to the wrong man. That’s when they came to apologize and have me sign my release papers.”

He looked at the Torah teacher and smiled.

“I thanked them. If they hadn’t arrested me, no one would have discovered the blockage. I would have gone home and suffered a massive heart attack at any moment. Their mistake saved my life.”

Then he added softly, “Do you see how the world works? I thought my kindness led to disaster. In truth, that very act of kindness is what saved me.”

Kindness Opens Hidden Doors

The man concluded with emotion.

“The arrest, the jail cell, even the fear, all of it led me to exactly where I needed to be, at exactly the right time. What looked like punishment was really mercy.”

Acts of kindness, even when they seem to bring hardship, can open hidden gates of compassion from Above. Only in hindsight do we sometimes see how giving to another person returns to us in ways we could never imagine.

A Short Conclusion

As we approach a day centered on giving, this story offers a powerful reminder. When we stretch ourselves for others, when we give with an open heart, we create channels for blessing we cannot predict or control.

As it is written, and as our sages taught, whoever extends a hand is given to. Sometimes, the kindness we offer another becomes the very source of our own salvation.