By Rabbi David Ashear
Duvi Karp* was going through a rough patch at work and began searching for another job. Eventually, he was offered a respectable position halfway across the country, in an established Jewish community. It was a major upheaval for the family to relocate after living in the same place for twenty years, but the situation looked promising and they were optimistic about starting a better life.
Forced to Relocate Again
But this was not to be. After some time there, they realized that matters were not working out well and were forced to relocate again. They integrated well into their new community, although they continued to struggle financially.
Shortly after their second move, the Karps’ daughter Chavah* returned home after spending a year studying in Eretz Yisrael. It was time for her to begin dating, but her parents were worried. Their financial situation had not improved. They were virtual unknowns in their new community. Finally, when people would check out their family for shidduch purposes, they would learn that they had moved twice within a few years and wonder about their stability.
Mrs. Karp had been working on her emunah, and she did her regular hishtadlus. She called shadchanim, davened, and put her trust in Hashem. A few months later, her nephew recommended one of his friends, as a potential shidduch. When they checked him out, they found out that he was from their original community! The Karps knew his rabbi very well, and Mrs. Karp called to inquire about the young man.
The Rabbi’s Enthusiastic Response
“I know why you are calling,” the rabbi said as soon as she identified herself. “To ask about Yitzchok Haber.* He already called me to ask about you! Of course, I told him to go ahead with the shidduch.” The rabbi continued, “Yitzchak told me that your daughter was mentioned to him last week. Since then, he flew to a friend’s wedding – which turned out to be in the first community to which you moved. He ‘happened’ to stay in the home of Chavah’s former teacher, who gave him a glowing report.”
Chavah and Yitzchak met, and they got married. “We are so happy!” Mrs. Karp said. “Yitzchak is a top boy from a great family. Hashem is so kind! It seemed so unlikely that Chavah would meet the type of young man she was looking for, but Hashem worked it out. He put everyone in the right place at the right time, and He sent us the best!” (Excerpted from the ArtScroll book –“Living Emunah on Shidduchim”)
Reprinted from the Parshas Chukas 5784 email of The Weekly Vort.
