Three Hundred Rubles

The Meor Einayim was very poor, and there was often no money to pay his large debts and no food for his hungry household. His gabbai was therefore glad and relieved when a visitor handed the Rebbe a generous sum of three hundred rubles. After a few more visitors had come for blessings, the gabbai took the opportunity to ask the Rebbe for money to pay some outstanding debts and loans. The Rebbe opened the drawer of his rickety old desk and handed him a few small copper and silver coins.

The gabbai had been expecting three hundred rubles and could not hold himself back. “Rebbe,” he cried out in despair, “where are the three hundred rubles?”

The Rebbe explained that just before, a poor Jew had come in. He could not pay a melamed to learn Torah with his children, he was behind on his rent to the poritz, and he had no dowry for his daughter, who was waiting at home to marry. When the Rebbe asked how much he needed, he said three hundred rubles, and the Rebbe gave it to him.

“But Rebbe, how can the Rebbe give such a large sum to one Jew?” asked the gabbai.

“You know,” said the tzaddik, “for a moment the same thought crossed my mind. It said, why give the whole sum to one man when you could divide it among many families? I realized that such a thought could only come from the yetzer hara. Since that was my first thought, I made sure to give him the entire sum.”