What Goes Around, Comes Around
Mr. Ishua Deri, z”l, once attended the hilula of the tzaddik, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, together with his wife. He wanted to receive my blessing in the merit of my holy ancestors. He brought along a sum of money to offer for tzedakah, which left him with only enough money to provide for his family’s needs over the next couple of months. His wife noticed his predicament and suggested that he forego the Rabbi’s blessing, as he had no money upon which the blessing could take effect.
- Mr. Ishua Deri, z”l, with HaTzaddik Rabbi Moshe Aharon Pinto, zy”a
“Why do you say we have no money to offer the Rav?” he countered. “We have our savings, which I can give him.”
“But if you give him our savings, from where will we have money for the upcoming holiday expenses? Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot are right around the corner!”
Mr. Deri replied, “Hashem will take care of us. I am going to see the Rav and I will donate the money we had set aside for the holiday expenses.” He entered my office in spite of his wife’s disapproval.
As soon as he walked in, he placed on my table an envelope with one thousand francs. He received my blessing and left lighthearted.
But his wife met him with complaint. “Why did you give the Rav all of our money?” she demanded.
“How can we possibly come to the hilula and not offer tzedakah to the grandson of the tzaddik?”
“Couldn’t you offer a more modest amount to tzedakah? You could have taken a quarter of the sum, and then we would be left with funds for the holidays!”
Mr. Deri remained unruffled. “You will yet see wonders and miracles in the merit of our tzedakah. We will be able to celebrate the holidays in joy and abundance.”
After the hilula, the couple made preparations to return to their home in Casablanca. They were not yet home when they were met by a complete stranger. He asked Mr. Deri, “Do you have enough money for the upcoming holidays?”
To say that Mr. Deri was shocked would be an understatement. Who was this stranger and how did he know their financial situation? But he did not waste time in reflection. “No!” he replied decisively. “I have no means by which to purchase all of my family’s holiday needs.” The man nonchalantly removed one thousand francs from his pocket and handed it over to Mr. Deri. The couple looked at each other in stupefaction. How did this man know how much money they had just donated to the Rav’s tzedakah funds?
When Mrs. Deri saw the hand of Hashem blatantly at work, she was finally appeased. She realized that her husband had done the right thing by donating all of their money. Their savings were now accruing interest on High, reserved for them eternally. Moreover, Hashem had not abandoned them in this world, sending them funds for the upcoming holidays in a most miraculous manner.
