Sometimes the word mortgage can drill a hole in your head, not only in your pocket. The bank’s complicated process of applying for a mortgage demanded much more than I was able to deal with. The agent at the mortgage-broker company did everything he could to help, but he too came up against a brick wall. I tried really hard, but approval was delayed repeatedly, and this caused many other things to be delayed. I was literally awaiting a yeshuah.
That day, I came to the bank again about the mortgage, and once again the clerk informed me that there were problems and that there was no approval yet. My legs felt heavy, but what did I have to do at the bank? I decided to go out and buy what I needed from the grocery store.
And while I was turning in the direction of the door, I met a friend who is an askan in tzedakah matters, and I asked him, “What are you doing here?”
“I came to deposit $800 for a Yid who has no money in his account. Can you help me with this?”
I saw this as an opportunity, and I told my friend the askan, “Take $500 from me, and because you deal with tzedakah and chessed, and especially now, when you’re involved in a mitzvah, I am asking you to daven for me that the bank should approve my mortgage.”
He took the money gratefully and promised to daven for me. I continued in the direction of the door, but turned around in the direction of the clerk. And then the clerk motioned to me that he had something to tell me; and he finally let me know the long awaited news: My mortgage was approved!
I immediately called the askan, who told me, “As soon as you gave me the money, I stood up to daven for you.” The power of tefillah and tzedakah!
