That Silly Mitzvah

That Silly Mitzvah

A man picked up a soldier at a soldier hitchhiker post. The soldier was
non-religious but on his "regular leave" of one week. The man was religious
and told the soldier that after dark it is dangerous to travel in Yehuda and Shomron. Since Shabbos is coming and sunset is in a short time, why
don't you spend the day with us. He knew from their conversation that the
soldier was on his regular leave. He told the soldier that he could sleep
in one room and do what he wanted there but not to violate the Shabbos in
front of his children. The soldier agreed to stop and rest there on his way
deep into the Negev.

The soldier ate, went to sleep until noon the next day. At noon he woke up
and was treated to the Shabbos meal. After the meal, he went to bed and
slept until Shabbos was over. He was then invited to the Melave Malka meal.

During the meal, the soldier told the man that he would perform one Mitzvah
because of his hosts hospitality. Which Mitzvah to choose for the fellow?
The host opened up the Shulchan Aruch to see which law would be befitting
the soldier. He closed his eyes and flipped pages and put his finger on one
Mitzvah.

The Mitzvah was to put the right shoe on first then the left and tie the left shoe knot first because the Tephillin (Phylacteries) go on the left hand. The soldier thought that the Mitzvah was silly but promised to keep it. The other soldiers looked at him as an oddball for following this one rule.

One day the soldiers were supposed to be deployed in Lebanon. The soldier suddenly remembered that he did not tie his shoes correctly that day. Fear overtook him, he asked his commanding officer to excuse him for a minute while he took care of something very important.

The officer sited him for insubordination and gave him 35 days in the Brig.
on the spot. The rest of the soldier took off in two helicopters.

That night 73 soldiers perished in the worst helicopter disaster in Israel's history. There were supposed to be 74 but because of one silly Mitzvah the man is alive today to tell the story.