Yaakov and Moshe Ahron learned in yeshiva together. When they became older bachurim, still without a shidduch, they decided to study accounting, so they would have a parnassah when they eventually get married.
They finished the course and they both found their intended spouse, and married. Yaakov landed a job at a firm with three other bookkeepers, but Moshe Ahron, unfortunately, remained unemployed. Yaakov had Moshe Ahron in mind, and always sought to help him find a job. When Yaakov heard that his boss was looking to hire another accountant, he eagerly recommended his friend, Moshe Ahron.
“I’ll Give Your Friend a Chance”
The boss said, “I was really looking for someone with experience, but since he’s your friend, I’ll give him a chance.” After an interview, Moshe Ahron was hired.
Several years later, the manager told his employers, “I am moving out of state, but the firm will continue at this address. One of you will be appointed foreman so everything will run smoothly.”
Yaakov assumed he would get the position. He had seniority and was the boss’s righthand man. He was shocked when the boss gave the position to Moshe Ahron.
Yaakov thought “If it weren’t for me, Moshe Ahron wouldn’t have this job.” It didn’t seem fair. He did a chessed, and now it backfired on him. For ten years, Yaakov was jealous. He didn’t say anything. He kept his bitter feelings to himself, and kept up a friendship with Moshe Ahron. He worked on his emunah, to believe that everything is exactly as Hashem planned it, but it was a very hard test for him.
Moshe Ahron’s and Yaakov’s children got older, and reached the age of shidduchim. A shadchan came over to Yaakov, “Your son is a talmid chacham and a baal middos and I know someone who wants him for his daughter. He is willing to buy a four-room apartment in Bnei Brak for the couple, That’s how much he desires him.”
Yaakov was shocked. Who was willing to pay so much money for his son?
“It’s your manager, Moshe Ahron,” the shadchan said. The shidduch went through. Yaakov said, “For ten years I was jealous of Moshe Ahron, and all this time, he was working for me! My jealousy was all a mistake. He was working for my son’s sake.”
Reprinted from the January 4, 2024 email of Torah Times. Copied with permission from Machon Be’er Emunah
