No Room for Jealousy
R’ Mordechai Knafo is my host in Morocco. Whenever I visit, he treats me royally. His hachnasat orchim knows no bounds.
For many years, R’ Knafo lived in a small house in Casablanca, where he raised his family and hosted guests. What he lacked in physical accommodations, he more than made up for with his accommodating heart.
Once, when I observed how tight his living quarters were, I told him it was time to find a larger house. There, he would be able to raise his family in comfort and host his guests with greater ease. R’ Knafo accepted my advice and soon began his search for a bigger home. One day, he phoned me with the good news that, Baruch Hashem, he had found the ideal home in Casablanca. He asked me to accompany him to look at it.
I was more than happy to accede to his request, in this manner partially repaying the generous hospitality which he had always granted me. We set a time to meet. Unfortunately, Heaven had other plans for us. I was unable to meet him at the appointed time, and we never went together to see the house.
- With Rabbi Mordechai Knafo in Morocco
R’ Knafo remained in his small house, very disappointed that the previous deal had fallen through. Since we had not managed to look at the house together, it was rented to another family.
I tried consoling him. “Maybe this house is not intended for you,” I suggested.
“A Jew must endeavor to accomplish. I tried my best, but nothing came of it,” he replied.
“I also tried to come, but Heaven ordained otherwise. This is obviously Hashem’s will.”
I offered him words of solace. I even blessed him that Hashem perform a miracle on his behalf, in the merit of my fathers. I said that Hashem should arrange that Mrs. Ben-Simchon, the landlady, would phone him and offer him the house for rent once again. But he was so dejected that he refused to accept my words of encouragement.
Not much time later, R’ Knafo called me up, this time his voice filled with joy. What happened? He explained that his prayers were accepted. The man who had rented Mrs. Ben-Simchon’s house in his stead, was suddenly called to Canada, where an important job offer had been presented to him. The house was up for rent once again. The landlady called R’ Knafo to offer it to him first.
We immediately set out together to see the house. It was big and roomy, and the price was right. We agreed to take it. I asked the landlady for the rental contract, but she merely replied, “I have none. I always rented it out without a contract.”
This was quite surprising to me, but we closed the deal anyway. R’ Knafo skipped out of the house a happy man.
I told him that when something is designated for a specific person, no one in the world can take it from him. The Gemara states (Yoma 38b), “One person cannot touch even a hairsbreadth of that which is designated for his friend.” Whatever one is meant to get, he will receive, in its entirety, from Hashem.
Similarly, I have no doubt that the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, in which R’ Knafo excels, is what stood him in good stead to receive the house he was entitled to. This was all in order to allow him to continue his time-honored custom of welcoming guests with open arms and an open door.
