Reb Shalom was a poor man. He made his living doing occasional repair and renovation work in his hometown of Afta: patching a leaky roof here, plastering a crumbling wall there, or fixing a cabinet on the verge of collapse. With such work, sometimes there was work, sometimes not—and so it was with his meager livelihood.
Now, his eldest daughter had reached marriageable age. Reb Shalom had not a single coin for her dowry, and without a dowry, the chances of finding a suitable match were slim. The daughter quietly endured her pain, as a virtuous Jewish girl with good character, never complaining or pressuring her father. Her mother, however, did not relent. Not a day went by without reminding her husband—though he needed no reminder—that a father’s duty to his children is not complete until he brings them under the chuppah.
Coming to the Tzaddik
One day, while agonizing over his daughter’s unmarried status, Reb Shalom’s feet carried him to the home of the tzaddik, the “Ohev Yisrael” (Lover of Israel) of Apta. “I am poor and have no money to marry off my daughter, who is kind, modest, and pious,” he poured out his troubles.
The tzaddik looked at him with compassionate eyes and recognized a hardworking man, not one who begs from wealthy patrons. He thought carefully and then spoke. “Truly, you have nothing? No savings, no valuable jewelry to sell?”
“No,” Reb Shalom replied.
“And what about a loan?” the tzaddik asked. “How much do you need?”
“One hundred rubles,” said Reb Shalom.
“And why do you not borrow it?” asked the tzaddik.
Reb Shalom lowered his eyes in helplessness. “One hundred rubles is too large a sum, and I know no one who would lend me that amount. Besides, I truly don’t know how I could ever repay it,” he said.
G-d Helps
The tzaddik waved away his concerns. “When a Jew takes a loan for a holy purpose, G-d helps him repay it,” he said. “Think a little more,” the tzaddik encouraged. “Perhaps there is something of value in your home that you could pledge?”
Suddenly, a spark of hope lit Reb Shalom’s eyes. “I have a printed shas (full set of the Talmud) from Salvita,” he said.
“Bring it here,” said the tzaddik.
Within an hour, the shas was in the tzaddik’s home. “This is a very precious shas, far more valuable than one hundred rubles,” said the tzaddik, with admiration. “If you pledge it, you can receive a loan of two hundred rubles!” Moments later, he opened his desk drawer, took out two hundred rubles, and handed it to Reb Shalom.
Stunned, Reb Shalom could hardly contain his shock. After regaining his composure, he thanked the tzaddik warmly and returned home joyous.
Engaged!
Before long, Reb Shalom’s daughter was engaged. Some time later, a messenger arrived at Reb Shalom’s home, carrying the shas back from the tzaddik. “The Rebbe said that this shas is very valuable and he does not want to bear the responsibility of guarding it from damage or theft. Thus, he believes it is best that it remain in your home, where you will care for it properly,” said the messenger, and departed.
True and Complete Joy
The day of Reb Shalom’s daughter’s wedding finally arrived. It was customary for the bride and groom and their families to visit the tzaddik for his blessing. Reb Shalom, his wife, and their children came with the bride. After receiving the tzaddik’s blessing, Reb Shalom was asked to remain for a private moment.
“With this,” the tzaddik said, “I forgive you the repayment of the loan. The two hundred rubles you borrowed from me are now a complete gift.”
Reb Shalom, overwhelmed, could barely respond, stammering, “Why... I mean, for what reason...?”
A broad smile spread across the tzaddik’s face. “Listen carefully,” he began. “As you know, G-d created the world entirely for the sake of the Jewish people. In theory, one might think that the world should operate openly to show that all existence is for the Jewish people. In practice, however, we live in exile, with Jews oppressed and immersed in the burdens of the world.
“I considered this deeply and concluded that there must be a special moment in a Jew’s life when his heart is completely joyful. When is that? Every day he is preoccupied with livelihood, raising children, and other challenges. Years pass, and finally comes the happiest day: the day he brings his children under the chuppah. In that moment, all suffering is forgotten, and his spirits soar as he thanks G-d for His kindness. This is true and complete joy.”
The tzaddik paused, then continued: “I realized that if, on that happy day, you remembered the precious shas you pledged and thought of the two hundred rubles, it might disturb your joy. And was not the world created for the Jewish people? Therefore, I decided to transform the loan into a full gift. Mazel tov, mazel tov!”
Thus was born another story illustrating how truly deserving of his name was the “Ohev Yisrael” of Afta.
