How do you feel about asking people for help?
Last year before my thirtieth birthday, I decided to organize a group of women to do hafrashas challah as a zechus for me. I had read in Rising: The Book of Challah, by Rochie Pinson, of a segulah to have 43 women do hafrashas challah as a zechus for a shidduch — 43 gematria gam, signifying completion.
I sent out an email on Wednesday with the following text:
Hello all,
. Please feel free to share with or add others if you know anyone who bakes.
I felt super vulnerable doing this, and doubted myself somewhat, but also felt proud to be trying and relieved to be putting the request out there after wanting to try this segulah for so long.
The response was so special. Many people told me they didn’t bake but they would ask others, and they did. Several people told me they hadn’t planned to bake but would do it for me. One of my single friends baked challah for the first time that Thursday night. My aunt, who was making a bar mitzvah that Shabbos, got up early on Friday morning and baked. My mother’s cousin, who is part of a group of 40 women who bake every week, had her group dedicate the week to me. My cousin’s mother-in-law got a group of her friends to join. My married classmate got her mother and sisters to join. She texted me, “This means a lot to me.” (All told, there were around 90 sign-ups).
I felt so humbled by and enveloped in an outpouring of love. I really wanted everyone to see that their help made a difference and that the segulah “worked” and I honestly was so sure I would be engaged six weeks later. Though I don’t think I’m likely to do this again, I still draw strength and encouragement from both the depth of my courage and the sincerity of everyone who joined out of love and support for me.
Support is everything.
It was fun memory.
It did ‘work’. Our eyes our limited.
Thank you, that is so true.