One day, as he sat on a tree stump with flies buzzing all about him, a stranger approached and asked, "Why are you doing this?"
The young man explained his great desire to learn Torah. "It is totally unnecessary for you to do this. I will make a deal with you. If you will give me all of your worldly possessions, I promise you to teach you Torah."
"Of course, I am willing, but I must discuss it with my wife, for it affects her as well. I will meet you tomorrow, and I will tell you our final decision."
The man returned home and related the incident to his wife. "This is what you have always wanted. Of course, you should do it without delay," was her reply. But the man was still wary. After all, he had always been a responsible person. He went to his father-in-law and asked his opinion.
"What! To sign away all your possessions to an utter stranger in return for some foggy promise that you will learn Torah! Your charity is equivalent to the learning of a great scholar!"
The young man left in confusion. But his wife told him: "It seems to me that you aren't sure of what you want. You always professed the strongest desire to learn Torah, but now when you have the chance, you balk!"
The following day the stranger, who was none other than the Baal Shem Tov, came to the same spot in the forest, and the two men proceeded together to the young man's home. When they entered a tantalizing aroma greeted them, and they were astounded to see the table set for a lavish banquet.
"What is this?" asked the Besht.
The wife explained, "This is the last time we will be able to fulfill the holy mitzva of entertaining guests, and I wanted to perform the mitzva as beautifully as possible. In addition, we have reason to celebrate, for now you will be able to achieve your life's ambition. But I had one other consideration: There are many ways in which G-d is able to take away a person's fortune. We have the privilege of giving away all in order to 'buy' Torah learning. This is also a great cause for celebration."
After they had eaten, the Besht asked the young man, "What have you decided?"
The young man seemed unsure but a look in the direction of his wife, gave the young man the courage to make the decision. He took a pen and signed all of his worldly goods over to the Besht. In accordance with their agreement, the couple was permitted use of the house and its garden as well as flour to bake bread. And in return, the would-be scholar travelled with the Baal Shem Tov to a place of Torah, where his eyes were illuminated.
True to his promise, the young man eventually became a great scholar and a tzadik. Years later, the Baal Shem Tov was heard to say that which was uttered about Rabbi Akiva's wife, Rachel, "Everything he has achieved belongs to her" -- to his selfless wife who sacrificed everything for Torah.
