One never knows what he or she might do when faced with any specific challenge, but one can hope that he or she would respond or react a certain way, each according to his beliefs. For example, I always wonder and imagine what I would do if I were to win the lotto (I am willing to be tested, God). We read in the news and in stories about the challenges of sudden wealth, how many people who won the lottery ended up wasting their money and even ending up in debt for going overboard with their excessive spending, and some who became mean or haughty. Occasionally there is the story of the people who came into sudden wealth and did not let it get to their heads.

A recent winner of 16 million the Israeli lottery showed that they are up to the challenge, they are good people, and at least initially they have good intentions and plans for what to do with their winnings.

Globes reports on the recent winners, describing them as a couple in their mid-60s with 8 children. He was up late and decided to check the lottery numbers on the computer. He had filled out an automatic lotto card for 58 shekel, and he almost gave up when he had checked most of the card line after line with no winnings. The last line of numbers on the card was the winner, and he says he checked and rechecked the card because he could not believe it. He then went and woke up his wife to tell her about it.

They said that thank God they have not been lacking for anything, they have money, and therefore will be giving some of their winnings to local people in the town where they live who have nothing and need help. They also said they are not going to tell their children about their winnings, which also means they will not change their lifestyle in any way, so that they will not stop working, so they will learn that nothing comes easy. They said they already give to their kids, and they will continue to do so, and at the end of the day, everything of theirs will eventually go to the kids, as they will not be able to take it with them.

They have no dreams they are looking to blow their money on, as they have already fulfilled all their dreams. The most important thing to them, they say, is to take care of their kids and that they have the opportunity now to do gemilut chessed with their winnings and help some people in great need.

And, Globes continues, there was another winner, of 8 million NIS, who spent 81 NIS on his lotto ticket. A divorced fellow in his 60s, with 2 children. He plans to buy for himself and his kids an apartment, to get a new car, and, he says, most importantly to buy a sefer torah and donate it to the shul in memory of his grandparents.