Dubai Miracle

Two hundred fifty years since America's founding, twenty-five years after September 11th, three years after October 7th — Flight 1073, Dubai to Tel Aviv, was boarding.

I thought the story was too good to be true. Even with all the miracles around us, this just seemed too cinematographic. But it's true. It happened. A co-pilot stabbed the pilot and sent the jet plunging — more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. Passengers broke into the cockpit, and two flydubai pilots who happened to be aboard took the controls and landed her safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Despite it all — despite the mistakes of the government, despite the evil designs of our enemies, despite logic, and statistics, and sheer gravity — somehow we never lost our path. We took over the plane, and everyone was saved.

It happened on Sukkot, when we sing Hallel and pray for all the nations — and here the prayer turned concrete: an Israeli jet, saved on Saudi ground.

It happened on the 19th of Tishrei — the yahrzeit of the Vilna Gaon, and Aaron's day among the seven visitors. The day before, the 18th, is Rebbe Nachman's yahrzeit — and Moses' day. The Rebbe and the Gaon, a day apart; the two brothers, a day apart; in one season of the open shelter.

October 7th was Shmini Atzeret, fifty years from the Yom Kippur War. For 10/7 is Yom Kippur — the tenth of Tishrei, the seventh month — and 9/11 is Tisha B'Av, the ninth of Av, the eleventh month counting from Tishrei. In one calendar, the dates are attacks. In the other, they are fasts.

Three weeks of mourning, seven weeks of comfort. Three sefirot of the mind — Chochmah, Binah, Da'at — and seven of the heart, Chesed through Malchut. Seven and three: the whole tree is ten.

And brothers, united on the same path, made it back safely, miraculously, back to the Promised Land. When Moshe and Aaron were united, as opposed to two previous sibling rivalries, redemption came.

It's the story of freedom — the story of liberty and life — repeating itself. A true miracle.

May the final redemption come. Oseh Shalom Bimromav — peace upon the Heavens, peace upon ourselves, forever. And we sing.