Rav Binyomin Rabinowitz shared a true story he heard about how when one does for others, he is really doing for himself. There is a company in Eretz Yisroel called HyTech, where the owner is a Shomer Torah U’Mitzvos. When he needed an administrator for his business, he put an ad in the Frum newspaper, and after filtering many applicants, he invited a few candidates in for an interview.
In his waiting room, a married woman sat next to a single girl, who was very talented in this field. While they were sitting there, they started a conversation. Each one told the other about themselves. The married woman explained that she is the wife of man who learns in Kollel, and has six children, and they really need the Parnasah that this job would provide.
The girl said that while she was still waiting for her Shidduch, she is looking for a job so that she could save money, and be able to support her and her future husband after she would be married.
The boss first called the married woman in, and he was very satisfied with how she answered his questions, which showed him that she would be very good for the job. He told her that he would be in touch with her.
The Single Girl was Called in for the Interview
Next, the single girl was called in. After seeing her talents, and her abilities to making the company really successful, he offered her the job on the spot, and told her if she wanted, she could start the very next day. He made her an offer to have a starting salary of 10,000 Shekelim per month, a car, and various benefits.
After thinking for a moment, she said, “I’m really sorry, but I’ll be happier if you give the job to the woman that was in here just before me, because she needs this job much more than I do. Also, after speaking with her, I think she sounded like an Eishes Chayil that would really add a lot to your company.”
The boss tried his best to persuade her, but no matter how hard he tried to get her to change her mind, her mind was made up. She said, “I’m sorry, but this is my final decision.” She got up and left the office, and the other woman got the job.
Two days later, this girl got a phone call. “Shalom, my name is Michal. I am the wife of the owner of HyTech. My husband told me about the unbelievable Chesed you did to give up such a lucrative job offer because someone else needed it more than you. I’m calling because I would like to let you know that we have a son who is a serious Bachur in Yeshivah. He is a Talmid Chacham who learns all day and has excellent Middos, and we would love to have you as a Kallah for him.”
It was quiet on the other side of the phone for a minute or two. Then the girl replied, “Okay, I’ll meet him.”
A few weeks later, Mazel Tov! The couple was engaged! Because this girl did a tremendous Chesed by giving up the chance to have a fantastic job just to help a Kollel family, Hashem rewarded her with a wonderful Choson, whose family owned the entire company!
Reprinted from the Parshas Behar-Bechukosai 5785 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’Tefilah.
