When Reb Dovid Hendler, one of the gabbaim of Harav Yehuda’le Horowitz of Dzhikov, came to be menachem avel, he told over this remarkable story:
Often, Reb Shmuel would travel to Yerushalayim to give a kvittel and receive a brachah from the Rebbe of Dzhikov.
The Dzhikover Rebbe had originally not wanted to accept the mantle of leadership, despite being a holy person who was a scion of holy Rebbes. Therefore, he did not accept kvittlach with a pidyon nefesh, a sum of money, despite the repeated urgings of gedolei Yisrael. But from Reb Shmuel, he did agree to accept kvittlach and a pidyon nefesh. Whenever he came, the Rebbe always welcomed Reb Shmuel with great joy.
Once, the Dzhikover Rebbe told Reb Shmuel about a needy Yid, a rebbishe descendant, who had incurred tremendous debts. “He needs ten thousand liras,” he said.
At the time, this was a very hefty sum, but Reb Shmuel didn’t think for a second. He pulled out his checkbook and on the spot, wrote out a check for the entire amount.
Time passed and Reb Shmuel came again. This time, again, Rav Yehuda’le shared the plight of this same needy Yid with Reb Shmuel; again he needed a huge sum of money. “The money you gave me last time unfortunately wasn’t enough. They need fifty thousand liras.” This was five times the original amount, but Reb Shmuel did not hesitate. He pulled out his checkbook and wrote a check for the entire sum.
That family’s story did not end there. One day, a member of the family came crying to the Dzhikover Rebbe and related that the money that Reb Shmuel had given was not enough. “We need another fifty thousand,” the man whispered miserably.
“Call Reb Shmuel Daskal,” Rav Yehuda’le instructed his gabbaim, but they felt very uneasy about asking again and again for such colossal sums of money. The Rebbe disagreed and said, “Reb Shmuel derives great pleasure from giving tzedakah.”
And that’s how it happened yet a third time that Reb Shmuel was asked to participate in this mitzvah. And Reb Shmuel didn’t just pay a part of what was being requested — he paid the entire amount!
A few months passed, and again, there were tears being shed in the Rebbe’s room. “It’s not enough, not enough...” the family member wept.
This time, the Dzhikover Rebbe asked me to deal with the problem in a thorough manner. I told Reb Shmuel about the family’s situation and made it clear to him. “We are not asking for more donations from you. You have given enough! But you’re an experienced businessman. We’d appreciate if you’d visit the family’s home and try to figure out why they do not seem to be managing despite these very large sums of money that are being given to them.”
Reb Shmuel set out, and I accompanied him. He went into their home, and I remained outside. I waited two entire hours for him. Finally, Reb Shmuel came out, his face suffused with satisfaction. “Baruch Hashem, I took care of the whole thing.”
I was pleased. Indeed, he had been the right person to guide this family on the path to fiscal stability. He had surely taught them a thing or two about proper financial management!
It did not enter my mind that while Reb Shmuel was sitting in the family’s home, he realized that in order to turn over a new leaf, they had to first pay off all their debts, which still amounted to forty-two thousand liras! He gave them the entire sum, and that’s how the story finally came to an end.
Of course, Reb Shmuel never disclosed what he’d done, but the story was eventually discovered through other channels.
