A house is up for sale in a prime area. Just the house you
have been looking for. A call to the real estate agent
reveals that someone has already shown an interest in the
property and has actually made an offer for it. In fact, it
is "one of your people," which, to the uninitiated, is what
goyim say to us about a fellow-Jew. But you feel this
is just the house you want, ideally situated. And your need
must be greater than theirs. After all, you have been
looking for a property just like this, on exactly this
street. There is only one thing to do. Offer a little more
than the other fellow and say that the cash is available
immediately.
She worked for three families, as many cleaning ladies seem
to do. There was never any misunderstanding. They all paid
the same per hour, and Susie went to one house on Mondays and
Wednesdays, to the next family on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and
to the last place on Friday. This routine worked
satisfactorily for many years.
One Friday, she arrived a little later than usual. She
explained that she had been to see Mrs. X who needed help
desperately. She was going to go to her just for two hours
after her usual Friday stint "to tide her over" until Mrs. X
found someone. The Friday morning employer knew that Mrs. X
had other help during the week. She also knew Mrs. X.
"Susie," she said, "you can't possibly do more than you are
doing at the moment. You work for three of us as it is. When
it comes to the Jewish holidays, you won't know which way to
turn."
"Oh, now. You know me. I'm strong. I'll manage. And I'm only
going to Mrs. X for the two hours after I've finished with
you."
It wasn't long before Susie was rushing through her work on
Friday because, as she said, "I'm at Mrs. X's place till the
Sabbath comes in."
Soon after this, she left her Tuesday lady to go to Mrs. X.
Then... yes, you guessed it, Susie gave notice to all three
of her former employers.
"Mrs. X has offered me a very good job, and more hours, and
it has become a bit much for me. It will be easier in the one
place."
Sound familiar?
Before Pesach, many of us need extra help. Suddenly, the
regular help doesn't turn up. Someone has offered them more
money.
There is an excellent rebbi at a certain cheder
or an outstanding teacher at a school. The principal of
another institution approaches him and offers him a higher
salary. The rebbi may or may not accept. He is a free
agent.
Halachically, if we keep to the letter of the law,
there is nothing wrong with this sort of "gazumping." A
person is entitled to look after his own interests. Whether
it is houses, domestic help, cheap transportation, or
teachers, people seem to be quite unscrupulous when it comes
to looking after themselves. The problem arises in all places
where Jews live. Be it in Eretz Yisroel, England or America.
We all have the same needs and the same sort of wishes.
Rabbi S. Wagschal writes in the Hebrew version of his book,
"Torah Guide to Money Matters," that although
halachically, a person is allowed to look after No. 1,
"nice" people prefer to go lifnim mishuras hadin,
beyond the letter of the law, even if this will cause them
some kind of loss, if they feel that they will distress a
fellow human being in any way. He writes that occasionally,
even plain manners dictate that a person refrain from looking
only after his own interests.
Then there are truly caring people. They see others in need
and actually offer their own domestic help to aid a neighbor
in a difficult siuation. There are others who see a bargain
and phone friends to make them aware of it. They are the
selfless ones.
In conclusion: although we are perfectly within our rights to
step on other people's toes in certain areas and take what we
can get in this world, we all know that everything comes from
Hashem. If we would just think a little more about other
people and realize that they also have needs, we would still
get the help/service which is destined for us and we would
avoid much upset and ill feeling.
