My mother always tells me, “I am davening for you that you should be able to learn the holy Torah with peace and serenity.” She pours out her heart during Shemoneh Esrei and while saying Tehillim, and I am certain that her zechus is what stood by me in the story I am about to relate to you.
I was zocheh to be marbitz Torah in one of the cities in Eretz Yisrael, a place where not all the residents are shomer Torah u'mitzvos. Baruch Hashem, there is an atmosphere of chizuk, and people’s hearts are open to hearing. The shuls are full, and one could meet up with Yidden setting aside time to learn Torah. I have a set chavrusa in this city during the early morning hours, and I set out to there each morning in my car.
My car was an old one – it jumped, growled and grunted. Traveling in it was not very comfortable, and as time passed, using the car was getting to be more and more of a pain. One day I started looking into purchasing a new car, and ultimately I signed a contract to purchase a pleasant, comfortable hybrid car.
With the new car in my possession, my feeling on the very first drive was that the purchase had been worth it. The car drove easily, without any problems – no noises, no jumping or skipping. It did wonderful work getting me to where I had to be.
The problem was that, in contrast to the comfort of the car, there was acute discomfort in my pocket after making the purchase. I lost a significant source of income during that time, and the payments for the car and the insurance were very high. I saw that I couldn’t keep them up, and I decided to sell the car. I advertised and searched for an alternate car, because how would I get to the city each morning without a car?! I also advertised that I was seeking a car ride in the mornings to that city, and I found an avreich who travels there, but at different hours than when I was used to going.
The last time I learned with my chavrusa, I told him that from then on we would have to learn together at different times.
“What?!” my chavrusa practically shouted. “Why shouldn’t we learn in the early morning, as we have until now? A change in time really doesn’t work for me!”
“It’s not too great for me either,” I explained, “but what can I do? The car I bought is costing me too much money – money I don’t have, and as the Zohar says, the lack of money is the worst thing. That’s why I’m about to sell it and then to come here with a ride, with someone who comes during different hours of the day.”
“That’s the reason?” My chavrusa was amazed. “For that you want to miss out on that great morning hour of learning? Tell me, how much does the car cost?”
I told him the huge sum of hundreds of thousands of shekel.
“It’s on me!” he informed me.
“But the insurance is also expensive,” I said. “Even if you pay for the car, with the insurance being so high, I can’t keep it.”
“No problem,” this chavrusa answered like a seasoned businessman. “I’ll pay your insurance too.”
“But...” I was shocked.
“But, what? You know that I’m a businessman, and I have plenty of money; besides which, don’t think I’m simply throwing money around. I’m investing so that you’ll be able to learn with me. It’s worthwhile for me!”
