Earning One’s Dough by Avoiding the Bread of Shame
Whether in Morocco or in Eretz Yisrael, Father, zy”a, never exploited his stature for his personal benefit. He would never allow a fellow Jew to serve him without remuneration. This was a practice he inherited from his own father, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a, who was scrupulous in paying Jewish workers on time.
When I matured, I, too, adopted this worthy custom. Once, when a wealthy man did a service for me, I paid him in full, even though he did not need my money at all. Just as my grandfather and father before me, I wanted to give him the good feeling that he had earned his wages.
Upon reflection, I understood why my ancestors were so scrupulous in this matter. They were merely emulating their Maker.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu is completely good and wishes to open His treasuries before us. But He does not want us to feel that we are receiving the bread of shame. Therefore, He instructs us to choose good. In this manner, we will receive blessing from Him by merit and not gratis. In this manner, we will take pleasure in our exertion in Torah and mitzvot, both in this world and the Next.
