A tourist once found himself lost in the city of Be’er Sheva. He tapped a man on the shoulder and asked, “Is there a kosher restaurant around here?” The man he had tapped happened to be R’ Natan Chayim Einfeld shlit’a, Rosh Yeshivat Be’er Sheva. Instead of directing the tourist to a restaurant, R’ Natan took him to the yeshivah dining room and served him a sumptuous meal. The man offered to pay for the meal, thinking he was in a restaurant, but the Rav refused to accept any payment. “This is the restaurant of Avraham Avinu,” he said with a broad smile. “You can eat here for free.”
The man was very appreciative, and a conversation ensued. The man would not talk about himself, preferring to hear what R’ Natan had to say. Suddenly, the tourist said, “Rabbi, I am visiting here from Australia, and I’ve got plenty of money. I’ve looked into giving money to a number of yeshivot, but none appealed to me. I came to Be’er Sheva on a whim, and now that I’ve met you, I want to donate money to your yeshivah. In return, I request that you name the building after my parents, who were killed in Germany during the war.” The Australian named a sum of $40,000!
R’ Natan didn’t know what to say. The man was indeed a stranger. He had no idea if he was reliable or if what he said could be taken as truth. The guest spoke about arranging a reception in his honor, to which the city’s rabbis would be invited. They would have a huge banner made, with his parents’ names on it, to be hung in the yeshivah.
Still, R’ Natan hesitated. The man had not yet given him a cent—should he go ahead with the reception anyway? When he inquired about the donation, the Australian replied evasively, “Don’t worry. I’ve got the money. You’re very lucky!”
As a sign of good faith, the man promptly took out $500 from his pocket and handed over the bills. R’ Natan breathed a sigh of relief. The man seemed honest. Now he felt he could commit to arranging the reception.
The days passed quickly. The requested sign had been put up, and last-minute preparations for the reception were completed. Several of the yeshivah staff stood to one side with smirks on their faces; they thought R’ Natan was in for a big disappointment. But the reception commenced despite their skepticism. The rabbanim of Be’er Sheva showed up, and everything was ready by the time the guest of honor arrived. R’ Natan spoke, lauding the Australian for his generosity and stressing the great merit of supporting Torah. Then the guest was invited to speak. He rose and emotionally thanked R’ Natan for the reception and expressed appreciation for the close relationship that had developed between them. Then, impulsively, he announced that he had changed his mind. His donation to the yeshivah would be $100,000!
The celebration came to an end. The man prepared to return to his hotel in Tel Aviv and mentioned that he was scheduled to return to Australia the next day. R’ Natan felt uncomfortable about the whole thing. There had been celebrations and promises, but he had seen neither $40,000 nor $100,000 from the man. When R’ Natan broached the subject, the Australian gave him another $500. There was nothing else he could do without appearing rude or ungrateful. He even went to Tel Aviv to accompany the Australian to the airport. On the way they had a long conversation, but no mention was made of when the money would be forthcoming. The man kept reassuring R’ Natan that all would be fine.
The Australian left without giving a cent beyond the small amounts. R’ Natan maintained their relationship through correspondence, and from time to time received another $500. But that was all. The naysayers laughed at R’ Natan, saying he had been played for a fool.
R’ Natan sadly began to believe them. The more he tried to get information from the man about his unfulfilled promise, the more he was put off with further promises. He even considered flying to Australia. But still, no check was forthcoming.
Eight months later, an urgent telegram arrived for R’ Natan from Australia. It was not from the man who had promised the large donation. Instead, the letter had been sent by his attorney. The Australian had passed away and left a check for the yeshivah in the amount of $200,000—along with a request that Kadish be said for him.
P.S. The check cleared!
(Partners in Eternity)
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
