Jonathan Rosenblum related a very nice story in a side-box to his article this past week in the Mishpacha magazine (Hebrew). The story happened, he said, in his own neighborhood (that would be Har Nof). I am just going to relate the story as he told it (from memory though).
Reuven was making a simcha, and hired a caterer for the affair named Shimon. Reuven ordered 300 portions of food for the affair. The day of the affair arrived, and Shimon sent his employee to the hall to begin setting up for the event and to heat up the food.
At some point, a girl came to the door and asked if there was any food to spare as her family had nothing to eat. They caterer packaged up 10 portions of food and gave the package to the girl to take home, to her family.
At the end of the affair, Reuven sat down with Shimon to review, and pay for, the catering. Shimon charged Reuven for only 290 portions. Reuven asked why, as he had ordered 300 portions. Shimon explained what had happened, that he had given 10 portions to a needy family who had nothing at home to eat.
Reuven argued that he wanted to pay for 300 as he had ordered the food and the mitzva of giving the food to the family should be his, as it was his food. Shimon argued that he had not yet given the food to Reuven, and it remained his food until he put the food on the tables at the event. Shimon therefore claimed that it was his own food he had given to the family and the mitzva of tezedaka was his, thus charging Reuven for only 290 portions.
After arguing about it for a bit and not coming to an agreement, they agreed to go to a local beis din to resolve the dispute.
The story ends there. Unfortunately Rosenblum did not continue and describe the resolution beis din arrived at. For the story, for the inspiration, a story of 2 people who fought over a mitzva, the resolution is not really important. I still would have liked to know how it was resolved.
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why would they go to a bais din? why can't ppl use their brains to come up with a solution - hmm, maybe split the cost? this just sounds to me like one of these made up stories that brainwash ppl to run to a rabbi for every little decision.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this is beyond ridiculous and both sound a bit too holier than thou to me, take out your wallet and donate to a worthy cause instated of arguing if you want so badly to do a mitzvah.
DeleteI doubt that it's made up. I've seen this kind of thing happen. As for the Beis Din, I wouldn't be surprised if they just went to give the Rabbis nachas at the kind of argument they were having. Nice to hear an inspiring story for a change, kudos Rafi and Joanathan Rosenblum.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt this happened. They just haven't drunk enough of the kool-aid yet.
ReplyDeleteanon - what would happen if more kool-aid had been drunk? what do you mean?
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is such a big deal. They argued about it after the fact.
ReplyDeleteWhat the caterer did was a big mitzvah. I don't know what would have happened had they been short a few meals at the party itself, so maybe he did not have the right to give away the food. Maybe he should have said come by later for leftovers.
From Reuven's perspective, he only argued for the mitzvah after the food was given, after his party was over. For him it was a no-brainer to demand that he get credit for the mitzvah. Would he have given away the food had the girl shown up to his doorstep before the party? Who knows. Maybe he would have said come back later and I'll give you from what is left.
It's a nice story that's been around for a while(whether it happened or not). It's to make a point (else just let reuven pay for 290 - then give the $ for 10 meals to other poor families - no wasting anyones time)
ReplyDeleteKT
As an American, it's so hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that in Israel, a country with good social services, young girls have to go begging at weddings for food, and it is accepted as a matter of course. I know the reasons behind it, but that only makes it more distressing.
ReplyDelete