Bitachon:
There is a Medrash Pliah (quoted in Damesek Eliezer, Parshas Matos-Masai) that says: “Tzadikim always eat stolen food (gezel) and they only eat cooked foods (mevushal), and they say, ‘Kadralamer’.” This Medrash is very puzzling.
The Damesek Eliezer explains in the name of the Imrei Bina that the word “gezel” is an acronym for “gam zu l’tova” (this too is for the good). The word “mevushal” is an acronym for “mistapek b’mah sheyeish lo” (satisfied with what one has). The word “Kadralamer” is an acronym for “kol mah d’avid rachmana l’tav avid” (everything Hashem does is good).
One Never Loses by Giving In:
The middah of “vatranus” (giving in to one’s friend) is also a trait found by tzadikim, as one who is satisfied with what he has and says “this too is for the good” – and thereby accepts whatever Hashem sends his way – will not begrudge anyone else and will always give in.
There is a famous saying that “one who is mevater, never loses out.” The source for this is the Gemara (Bava Basra 15B) that states: “What is written about Iyov is greater than what is written about Avrohom. Regarding Avrohom, it is stated (Bereishis 22:12): ‘I now know that you are a man who fears G-d.’, whereas regarding Iyov it is written (Iyov 1:8): ‘You are a complete man, who is upright, fears G-d and avoids badness.’
“What is meant by the words ‘avoids badness’? Rav Abba bar Shmuel says that Iyov gave in on monetary matters. It is the way of the world that one pays the storekeeper for even half-peruta of merchandise (purchased from him). But (if somebody bought an item of such little value from Iyov) he would forgive him (his half-peruta).
“Then the Satan answered Hashem, and said: Does Iyov fear G-d for free? Have You not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands... What is meant by: ‘You have blessed the work of his hands’? Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzcḥok says: Anyone who took a peruta from Iyov was blessed.”
Many years ago, there were two business partners – whom we shall refer to as “Reuven” and “Shimon” - who were very successful. One of the men they did business with was a single man with no children, whom we shall refer to as “Levi”. Levi had nowhere to eat on Shabbos or yomtov, so the two partners would invite him to eat with them.
When Levi came over for a meal, he would prater on and on, relating his opinions on everything he saw in the house. The fact that Levi could not mind his own business and stuck his nose into his personal home life bothered Reuven very much. Finally, he told Levi, “I have opened my home to you and I treat you very respectfully. I am happy to do this but I would appreciate if you do me one favor. Please do not mix into how I run my home!”
Levi was very insulted and he stopped coming to Reuven’s house. From then on, he only ate his meals by Shimon’s house. Still and all, he continued to do business with both men.
A while later, Levi told Reuven that since he had no children, he had planned on dividing his inheritance between the two partners, with Reuven and Shimon each getting half of his possessions. However, since Reuven had insulted him, he told him that he would now be getting nothing and he was changing his will to give everything to Shimon.
Reuven replied, “I understand why you are upset at me. It is your right to do whatever you want with your possessions.”
Reuven overcame his negative feelings towards Levi and kept up a friendship with him. After a while, he invited him to come back to his house for Shabbos and yomtov meals, and Levi started frequenting his home again.
Not long thereafter, Levi informed both Reuven and Shimon that he had changed his will and his possessions would be split evenly between them.
