On Man's Inhumanity To Man

(Nothing really to do with the frum community, just something that's on my mind)

There is a man in my neighborhood who I wouldn't say I was close enough to to call a friend, but certainly a good acquaintance. He has a lovely wife and two wonderful small children. I've known him for a while as we used to live in the same neighborhood and went to the same shul before we both moved to our new neighborhood. Since then, we've seen each other in shul several times, and I've even had a Shabbos meal at his house. His daughter likes to play with my daughter. In addition, he was instrumental in my getting a position as a ba'al kriah in my shul.

Last month, he was hit with a car while riding his bike to work one morning. He's been in the hospital for a while and has finally gone on to rehab. I saw him today for the first time since his accident.

He has a tube in his throat to help him breathe. As such, he can barely talk (and he was the type to talk a mile-a-minute). The right side of his body is so weak he can barely move it. He's as thin as a rake.

What burns me up about this is not so much that he was hit (although that's bad enough, of course). What's so horrible about this is that the driver stopped after hitting him, got out of his car to look at his victim and then drove off. Words just fail me. I just can't imagine anyone doing that and not even calling 911 or doing anything to help. Maybe I'm just too naive, but I just can't fathom it. Although the accident was witnessed, the driver was never caught.

He's looking at a month of rehab in the hospital and then several more month's (at least) at home. When he'll be able to return to work is not yet known. For those of you who do so, please add the name Kalman Avraham ben Malka Miriam to your tehillim list.

What amazes me even more is the lack of conscience that this driver has. If he panicked and ran off, I could understand (not that it excuses it - but I can see it). But even if that happened to me, I know that I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing what I'd done to another person. My soul would eventually force me to come forward.

I don't know if the driver of that car can sleep at night or not. But I do know that everyone receives his rewards or punishments in accord with his deeds and actions. And I hope he receives his.

The Wolf