A wealthy philanthropist came to the Satmar Rav z”l (Yahrzeit 26 Av) with a problem. “Many charities have come to depend on me, but my family is growing; I have children in kollel and pay tuition for grandchildren. I simply can’t meet all of my obligations.”
The Satmar Rav showed him the posuk in parshas R’eh (16:11), which says regarding Yom Tov, ‘You are to rejoice in the presence of HaShem --- you, and your son and your daughter, and your male slave and your female slave, and the Levite who is in your city, and the proselyte, and the orphan and the widow who are among you.’ “You may think this verse tells you that you must support all eight people, but that is not true. Rashi on this posuk says, ‘Four of Mine and four of yours. If you make My four happy (Levi, ger, orphan, widow) I will make your four happy (your children and servants.)”
“R’ Yid,” continued the Satmar Rav, “Keep supporting the schools and tzedakos that count on you and HaKadosh Boruch Hu, Himself, will see to taking care of your family.”
