Losing leads to winning and acknowledging helplessness breeds success

One day, the owner of a hotel said to a businessman who was staying in his hotel, "You certainly have

heard of Rebbe Dovid of Tolna zt'l. Tonight, this great Rebbe will be coming to our hotel. Do you mind

sleeping in a less extravagant room, so I can give the best room to the Rebbe?”

The businessman wasn't a chassid, but he didn’t mind doing this favor. He decided he would watch the

Rebbe and determine on his own if he is truly a tzaddik.

Later that night, after the Rebbe had already arrived, the businessman overheard the owner of the hotel

speaking with his wife. He didn't want to listen in to their conversations, but they were speaking very

loudly, almost shouting at one another. He heard them say that the Rebbe asked them to give him two-

hundred rubles, which was all they owned. They were wondering and debating whether they should

acquiesce to the Rebbe's request.

The next day they gave two-hundred rubles to the Rebbe.

The businessman was upset with the Rebbe. He didn’t think it was fair that he should ask them for so

much money.

The Rebbe with his gabbai were outside the inn, and the Rebbe pointed to one corner of the yard and

said, "This is a good place to build a barn." Pointing to another spot he said, "This is a good location to

build a new inn..." The businessman thought it was strange that the Rebbe was saying these things.

A few years later, the businessman returned to the inn and he saw that everything was exactly as the

Rebbe had said. There was a large barn in the corner, and a new inn built exactly where the Rebbe spoke

about. The businessman immediately traveled to Rebbe Dovid of Tolna zt'l and said, "Now I know that

you are a holy man. Everything you predicted occurred. But please tell me, why did you take so much

money from that couple? Two hundred rubles was everything they owned. It doesn’t seem correct."

The Rebbe replied, "It was destined in heaven that this couple should become wealthy, but it would only

occur after they daven. Their two hundred rubles were stopping them from davening. Whenever a

financial worry arose, they said to one another, "But we have two hundred ruble. If we need the money,

we have from where to take it. Everything will be o.k.' So I took the two hundred rubles away from

them. This spurred them to daven to Hashem, and they received the wealth that was destined for them.

The Nesivos Shalom writes that when they were building the Slonimer Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael, they

were confronted with many hardships, and the founders and roshei yeshiva would meet from time to

time to seek ways to overcome all the obstacles. They would always conclude the meetings with the

following words:

"We are umbeholfeners, and the umbeholfeners helft der Aibershter." Translation: We don't see any

hope. But Hashem helps those who feel helpless.”

(Torah Wellsprings, Bechukotai, 5782)

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