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The Sanzer Rav’s Son

Tzedakah & chesed Ahavas Yisroel

A story ofRav Chaim Halberstamהרב חיים בן אריה לייבוש הלברשטאםProfile ›

When the time came for the Divrei Chaim’s son, Rav Boruch of Gorlice, to marry off one of his daughters, he asked his father for money. The Sanzer Rav replied, “At this time I have none.”

A few days later some wealthy Jews visited the Divrei Chaim and left a sizeable donation. Rav Boruch was overjoyed. Surely now, since he had already asked, he would receive the funds he needed for his daughter’s wedding. But it was not to be. As soon as the visitors left, the Sanzer Rav sent for a local pauper and gave him all the money he had just received, so that he could marry off his own daughters.

When Rav Boruch came in and again asked for money for his daughter’s chasuna, the Divrei Chaim explained, “I have already given it all to a poor Jew to marry off his daughters.”

Hearing this, Rav Boruch burst into bitter tears of disappointment. “Why am I any worse than he is?” he cried. “Don’t I also need money to marry off my daughter?”

The holy Sanzer Rav explained how he saw it. “You are my son. You can go to any town or city, and people will recognize you and give you money to help marry off your daughter, simply because you are the son of the Sanzer Rav. But this poor Jew has no one. If I do not give him this money, who will?”

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