Hashem has ways how events will eventually happen, but Teshuva helps
Moshe, a wealthy man living outside Jerusalem, had a very serious problem: he was a miser, unwilling to give any tzedaka. One day, a poor man, secretly from hidden righteous tzadikim, sought a donation. Moshe, as usual, refused him entry. The tzadik pleaded, promising not to ask for money, and Moshe allowed him entry. The tzadik then sternly declared: Heaven is angered by your stinginess; your fortune will be given to Rabbi Avraham, the woodcutter of Jerusalem. Rabbi Avraham was also a very righteous person and always went out of his way to help another Yid. He would drop off chopped wood at a poor person's door autonomously.
Moshe recognized that it was a righteous man standing before him, but couldn't resist his selfish desires. He reasoned, if my wealth must go to Rabbi Avraham, I will make sure that neither of us will benefit! The tzadik left, and Moshe fled to the forest with his fortune. He hid it in a large tree. A storm uprooted the tree, carrying it to Jerusalem, landing on a fisherman's property. The fisherman, initially frightened, rejoiced, planning to sell the wood to Rabbi Avraham. That Friday, when Rabbi Avraham went to buy fish for Shabbos, the fisherman offered him the tree at a good price. Rabbi Avraham inspected it, agreed to the price, and bought the tree.
Rabbi Avraham hauled the tree to his home. When he began to cut up some wood he was astonished to find the tree to be hollow inside. He soon found a large treasure in the trunk of the tree. He danced with joy to Hashem that he will now be a rich man. Meanwhile, Moshe’s fortune faded, and he became a poor person and Moshe was forced to wander with his wife begging for money and food. When they came to Jerusalem to beg for money and food, Moshe decided to go visit Rabbi Avraham the woodcutter. Moshe searched all over and asked where Rabbi Avraham the woodcutter lived? When he was told where Rabbi Avraham lived, Moshe went to his home. Rabbi Avrohom was a very warm hearted person and he invited Moshe and his wife to stay with them for a few days until after Shabbos. At the Shabbos Table, Moshe and his wife began to cry hysterically as they noticed the beautiful leichters, and gold plates on the table. They were so familiar to the ones that once belonged to them! Rabbi Avrohom asked them “why were they crying?” They answered: "these items once belonged to us!” When Rabbi Avraham asked them “how did they lose their belongings?” They told Rabbi Avrohom the story of the hidden Tzaddik who told them that their wealth would go over to Rabbi Avraham, and they hid their fortune in a tree so that no one should enjoy the wealth.
Moshe then asked how did the fortune end up by Rabbi Avraham? Rabbi Avraham told them the story of the fisherman, and the gusty winds carrying the tree to his property. They learnt a powerful lesson that when Hashem wants something to happen, He will make a flood and bring an item from one place to another in order to fulfil that decree. When Rabbi Avraham offered to return to Moshe his belongings, Moshe and his wife refused as they accepted the decree of Hashem, and would not go against the wishes of Hashem. They now wanted to atone their evil ways of not giving Tzedaka! The Shabbos was very uplifting for everyone. They felt closer to Hashem. That Motzei Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham told his wife to bake a fancy cake for Moshe and his wife. She put inside 100 gold coins. When they will open it, they will have money to live. The cake was appealing to them and they accepted the cake. Moshe and his wife thanked Rabbi Avraham and his wife for their hospitality and an uplifting Shabbos. Meanwhile, as they were to leave Jerusalem, there was a tax collector at the border, who collected a tax from all those leaving Jerusalem. Now since Moshe had no money to pay he offered the cake instead of the money, and the tax collector who saw that the cake was beautiful, accepted it, and he let Moshe and his wife to go on their way!
Meanwhile, Rabbi Avrohom was preparing to make a wedding for his son, and the tax collector who was a close friend of Rabbi Avraham, decided to give him a present for the wedding. He brought the beautiful cake to the home of Rabbi Avrohom to serve at the wedding. Rabbi Avrohom noticed that the cake was the same one they had baked for Moshe, and he cut open the cake and saw that the 100 Gold coins were still there!
The dumfounded Rabbi Avraham saw with his own eyes that Hashem’s decree was so strong that any money that belonged to Moshe, even if it was given to Moshe as a present, would come back to Rabbi Avraham. No matter how hard he tried to give Moshe some of his money back, it still came right back to Rabbi Avraham! The fortune of Moshe was destined from Hashem where it was to end up. Rabbi Avraham who was a righteous person, decided he must nullify the decree on Moshe. He prayed to Hashem to find a way to do this. One day, he felt that he relieved a message from heaven, that his prayers were answered. Rabbi Avraham was excited that he went about searching for Moshe. Finally after a while he caught up with him. They sat down to talk and Rabbi Avraham related to Moshe that he feels that the decree on him can be removed. Moshe became relieved, and asked what should he do now? Rabbi Avraham told him “You have suffered much humiliation through your wanderings. If you agree to open your heart to needy people, I will lend you money to begin your business dealings. Hashem will give you success, and will became wealthy again!
Moshe could not believe how a stranger would be so kind to him, and his heart softened, and promised to open his doors to all needy people. They drew up a contract for the loan, and Moshe pledged in writing that he repents on his being a miser. They parted ways, and in a short time, Moshe made some good deals and was able to repay Rabbi Avraham. He had enough to begin giving tzedaka, and as time went on he became wealthy again, and his doors opened up for all needy people. Moshe learned a valuable lesson.
When Hashem says something will happen, it happens. But, Hashem has mercy when one does Teshuva with fullness. "Many thoughts are in the heart of man, but only Hashem's counsel will endure. The counsel of Hashem will stand forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations. For He spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood."
