Complete Selflessness
STORY
R' Shmuel Finkel Zatzal was the second son of the Alter of Slabodka Zatzal (the oldest was R' Leizer Yudel, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir). In his youth, R' Shmuel learned under his father in Slabodka, but eventually the Alter sent him to learn under R' Shimon Shkop Zatzal in Grodno. After his marriage, he learned in the Kollel P’rushim in Kovno, and later became appointed Rav of the town Yezna in Poland. He was famous for his unusual Middos and caring for others.
Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Warsaw in order to invest the money he received for his dowery, so that it would yield a profit from which he would have Parnasa, and he could learn and serve Hashem B’menucha. He had Siyata Dishmaya, and met advisors who suggested that he should invest his money by purchasing large amounts of flour, which he did.
Lo and behold, a few weeks later WWI broke out, and panic was everywhere. The prices started soring! Many could not afford basics, and were hungry for bread. R' Shmuel was faced with a dilemma. He possessed vast amounts of flour, which he could sell for a small fortune, thereby ensuring his family’s wellbeing for many years. On the other hand, his Yetzer Tov advised him to distribute the flour to Talmidei Chachamim and Bnei HaYeshivos who were left penniless.
The Nisayon was very great, but R' Shmuel stood strong. With the foundations that his Limud HaMussar taught him, he chose the Zechus of saving others, over getting rich. He got up and distributed all the flour to the Bnei HaYeshivos FOR FREE, leaving himself penniless. Later, was questioned why he did this, and he replied: “I knew that the first to suffer would be the Bnei HaYeshivos. How could I stand by?” Not only did he give away his flour, but he also gave away all the money he had, to Almanos and the needy, while he himself suffered from hunger and lack of basic necessities.
