A Sickening Career
A Sickening Career A Jew whom I knew from Paris once asked for my blessing to find his right match. I blessed him warmly and then asked what he did for a living. The man hemmed and hawed. He evasively said that he worked for his living. But I would not relent. Finally, he […]
The Ticket Is Trust
The Ticket Is Trust When I was in Paris, a man sorrowfully related to me that he was unemployed. He described his difficult financial situation, which was dire, indeed. Since he had failed to pay his electric and gas bills, he was left without those utilities. He had not managed to meet his rental payments […]
A Major Misconception
A Major Misconception A young woman once called me up and asked for my blessing that she succeed in her studies. “Are you married?” I asked. “I am already married two years.” “Do you have any children yet?” “You have to understand that I have such a busy schedule. I simply cannot fit children into […]
Direct Delivery
Direct Delivery Shortly before I was scheduled to fly from The States back to France, a poverty-stricken Jew approached me. He asked that I bless him with livelihood. Of course, I blessed him from the bottom of my heart, in the merit of my forefathers. But afterward, the man insisted that I bless him to […]
Enveloped in Holiness
Enveloped in Holiness I heard the following story about my father, zy”a, from an eyewitness. It inspired me tremendously. Mr. Lugassi once approached my father and pleaded with him to bless him with an easy, lucrative livelihood. Father instructed him to go to a specific spot. There, he would find an envelope of money. The […]
Earning a Livelihood
“Keep vanity and falsehood far from me; give me neither poverty nor wealth, but allot me my daily bread” (Mishlei 30:8) Metzudat David expounds: Sustain me with a designated amount, which is enough to keep me alive and no more. “Once more I saw under the sun that the race is not won by the […]
The Ultimate Scheme of Things
The Ultimate Scheme of Things A man once came to me and said that he was a senior worker at a large American firm which employed thousands of workers. Its assets stood at tens of millions of dollars. But now the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. He was making every effort to come […]
A Good Night Story
A Good Night Story I once spent an entire night writing divrei Torah. It was mentally and physically strenuous, to say the least. I still needed one last sentence to pull the thoughts together. Suddenly, a foreign Jew came to visit me. He brought me a gift of a sefer kodesh, which I greatly appreciated. […]
Searching for the Easy Way Out
Searching for the Easy Way Out When I found myself in New York before Pesach one year, I was met by a couple who related that they were intending to spend the Pesach holiday in Miami. “Why don’t you celebrate the holiday of freedom in your own home?” I asked, surprised. “We have personal reasons […]
Taking Stock of Our Lives
Taking Stock of Our Lives A wealthy man taught me how we must dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to Torah study and mitzvah observance. This man has shares in many companies and his businesses branch throughout the world. He is a maven on the stock market. I once met him and could not resist asking, “Tell me, […]
Making up Lost Time
Making up Lost Time I was grappling with a certain sugya for about two weeks. In spite of the mental gymnastics, I could not get to the root of understanding the sugya. I was very upset by this. I decided to go into the Beit Hamidrash and engross myself in the sugya, until I would […]
Investing His Share
Investing His Share A rich man once came to ask for my blessing regarding various issues. In order for the blessing to be effective, I suggested that he make a donation to help the yeshiva students. In this manner, he would consecrate his assets by supporting Torah. But the man refused. “Honored Rav, I am […]
