A Contribution to the Creator
Many Jews from around the world came to celebrate the wedding of my son, Rabbi Moshe Aharon, shlita, which took place in Eretz Yisrael. Among the attendees was the eminent philanthropist, Mr. Matzliach. He generously supports our holy institutions and donated a beautiful Sefer Torah to our Beit Hakeneset in Ashdod, written by the former Rav of the community, Rabbi Yosef Yakobi, zt”l.
The day after the wedding, Mr. Matzliach asked to meet with Rabbi Yakobi. To my regret, I informed him that Rabbi Yakobi had suddenly passed away.
The man was in shock. “Rabbi Yakobi was young and looked healthy. How could it be that he died so suddenly?”
“You should take this tragedy to heart. You are a businessman whose head is constantly in material matters. You are in danger of forgetting Hashem, chas v’shalom, by regarding this world as the primary place of life.
“Hashem therefore sent you this message as a wake-up call. The tragic passing of this great man should teach you that this world is transient. Nobody lives forever.”
My words entered his heart, and he asked what he could do to keep them alive within him. I replied that if he undertook some resolution to improve, it would be a great advancement in his spirituality.
“I will donate a sizeable sum to charity,” he offered.
I was happy at his generosity, but told him that he gives tzedakah in any event. Now was the time to take an additional mitzvah upon himself which would connect him with his Creator.
