It was very late at night in the city of Bnei Brak in Israel after the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
Many people were waiting at the bus stop to travel home to Jerusalem.
The #402 bus was very delayed.
It was bedlam.
Men, women and children impatiently waited for the 402 bus.
Babies cried.
They waited to no avail.
It was 1:30am and the crowd was very restless, they had been waiting for what seemed to be an eternity.
Finally, headlights of a bus were spotted in the distance. The crowd lined up expectantly.
But to their utter dismay the bus before them was not the #402 to Jerusalem, it was the #318 to Rechovot.
When the bus pulled up a few people boarded and begged the driver to switch his route and take them to Jerusalem.
Obviously the driver was not able to change his route!
But the people begged and pleaded and finally the driver capitulated. He agreed to change the sign on his bus and take the passengers to Jerusalem instead.
The people were so appreciative. They heaped blessings on his head.
As each person came aboard they showered him with good words and compliments.
The trip proceeded without incident and they arrived in Jerusalem.
When the last passenger got off he paused and asked the driver a question.
He wanted to know why the driver was willing to risk his job by changing the route.
“Wouldn’t your supervisor fire you for completely ignoring your route?”
The driver burst out laughing.
He explained that the dispatcher saw via camera that there was a large crowd gathering at the #402 bus stop and a bus needed to be sent immediately.
But none of the drivers agreed to go.
Why not?
Unfortunately, in such circumstances, when the bus driver arrives after a crowd has had a long wait, he is subject of insults and vitriol upon his arrival even if the delay is not his fault.
So none of the drivers at the dispatch center wanted to go. They feared they would be berated for the delay and had no interest in being subjected to unwarranted abuse.
The driver continued his saga.
He explained that he had a lightbulb moment and agreed to take the route.
He posted #318 on the digital board of his bus and when he arrived and “agreed” to take the #402 route he was hailed as a hero.

You’ve got to admire the creative lengths he went to to provide the service needed!
This story was related by Rabbi Biderman.
In our Torah portion of Re’eh we receive the mitzva of Tzedaka, giving charity.
“If there is a needy person among you…you shall surely open your hand”
The Sages teaches us that how we give charity is as important as the giving itself.
For example when you open your hand each finger is a different length. This teaches us to look at each person and their individual needs and respond according to their needs.
Or, if a person needs to make a request for assistance, if the response of charity is accompanied with a smile and a kind word, the mitzva has been elevated.
Rabbi Biderman quotes a passage in the writings of the Sefer Hachinuch which enumerates all the mitzvot and teaches us that charity is not only about providing food and shelter, it is about helping in any way we can. Helping someone with kind words, a smile or any helpful action is considered tzedaka as well.
Sometimes we try to help people and in their pain they may not appreciate our efforts and instead lash out from their place of pain.
That does not release our obligation to try and help them and “meet them where they are at “.
Whatever bus stop they are at.
It might just mean we have to try harder, be more creative, all in the desire to help another on their journey.
Even if you have to change the number on the bus!
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!