"When will we be there?" asked David, peering through the window at the pouring rain, and the rows of red brake lights of cars stopped in the traffic jam.
"Mummy," Rachel moaned, "why are we stuck in this traffic?"
It was meant to be just a quick hop in the car to the supermarket, which was usually just ten short minute's drive from the Cohen's house.
"I'm so sorry," Mrs. Cohen said sympathetically to the children, "it looks as if this isn't going to be such a short ride after all."
Mrs. Cohen had been taking her normal route to the store when she discovered that the road was blocked off. They soon found themselves driving along a detour, stuck in heavy traffic, and the GPS instructing them to "make a u-turn as soon as possible."
"You know what?" said Rachel hopefully. "Maybe something good will come out of this."
"Yes, my dear," Mrs. Cohen said. "That is the right attitude!"
"This week's Torah reading," Rachel continued, "talks about the negative things that will happen if the Jewish people don't behave properly. My teacher said that really they are all positive things. In the end they are leading to the time of Moshiach when everything will be good, and we will see that even the bad has been transformed into good."
"How could bad be changed to good?" asked David.
"Turn right," said the GPS. Wearily, Mrs. Cohen did so.
"Hey," David yelled, excitedly pointing out of the window. "Look, Dad is walking on the street over there!"
"Quick," said Rachel, "honk the horn to tell him we are here."
"Oh, hello!" Mr. Cohen said, clambering into the car in his dripping suit, with no coat. "How did you know to come and get me?" Everyone in the car looked blank. "It was terrible..." Mr. Cohen continued. He told them about the fire alarm in the underground train station which closed the station near their home. He got off at the next station but there was no bus and just a huge traffic jam, so he had been walking for half an hour in the pouring rain, his clothes soaked through and through.
"So," Mrs. Cohen smiled, "maybe it wasn't so bad after all that we got diverted and stuck in the traffic. Because of that we were able to meet you and pick you up and get you out of the rain!"
"See, David," said Rachel. "That's an example of something bad becoming good!"
"Yes, children," said Dad, latching on to the conversation, despite his soaking clothes. "Like me being so happy to see you, it was even worth being stuck in the rain. The pain of Exile becomes the joy of Redemption."
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