A baalas teshuvah who grew up in a completely assimilated family in the Ukraine once related how a certain rebbetzin who came to their town made a deep impression on her.
“She had a truly regal appearance. She was always well-dressed and adorned with beautiful jewelry. Someone said that she was wearing a wig, but none of us believed it; it looked so real! But the real shock came when someone said that she had eight children back in America, five of whom were already married. We were all astounded, not just by the fact that she had so many children, but by the fact that she looked so young and vibrant, not at all like a grandmother.
“We had always been told that childrearing was a burdensome task and most people could barely manage with one or two children, yet this woman had been the mother of eight children and always looked better than many other women I knew.”
The outward appearance of the rebbetzin, her aristocratic demeanor and beauty, played a role in bringing this girl back to Yiddishkeit.
When Jewish people enjoy affluence and financial success, the purpose of their privileged status is not the enhancement of their own comfort. Money, a comfortable lifestyle, and all that goes with it, is an opportunity to create a great kiddush Hashem.
Reproduced from Living Kiddush Hashem by Rabbi Shraga Freedman with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
