A true story from yesteryear, some two hundred and fifty
years ago.
It was early in the afternoon, on an early autumn day. The
weather was chilly, with more than a hint of rain in the air.
Inside the big kitchen in the home of R' Boruch Teomim
Frankel, famous author of Boruch Taam and the Chief
Rabbi of Leipnik, a town in Germany, the warmth from the
cooking and baking made it warm and cozy.
Into this kitchen walked a young girl, Mirel. Elegantly
attired but in simple taste, she smiled knowingly at her
mother, who was busy instructing the cook and servants but
barely aware at her daughter's entrance. Mirel turned to one
of the young servants, a girl her own age, and began chatting
amiably with her.
"What a pretty dress you're wearing," said the young maid.
"It is pretty, isn't it? I just finished the trimming. It is
actually new, made in honor of a special occasion."
"Oh, really?" she asked inquisitively, eyebrows raised.
"Yes. We're having guests tonight. Do you know who they are?"
she teased.
"No. Tell me!"
"Someone is coming to 'look' at me..." Both girls started
giggling. At that very moment, in walked the Rov, R' Boruch
Teomim Frankel, himself. He heard the girls' merry laughter
but he wasn't in the mood for jollity. He looked critically
at them and said, "Why so merry?' Not waiting for an answer,
he turned to the rebbetzin and said, "I just heard that Reb
Mottel the watercarrier is ill. He is in bed and his family
is on the verge of starvation. You know the family. They have
quite a brood, and they surely don't have any savings. They
barely survived when Reb Mottel was working from dawn to
dusk. May Hashem help these unfortunate people," he ended
with a deep sigh and walked out of the kitchen.
The rebbetzin began pulling out jars of pickled vegetables
and some smoked fish from the pantry and freshly baked loaves
from the oven. She wrapped these up neatly and looked around
the room. Whom should she send to the home of the
watercarrier with this food? Her gaze fell upon her
daughter.
"I'll be happy to go," offered Mirel.
"In that beautiful dress?" said the maid, shocked. "Let me
go!"
"Both of you can go," said the rebbetzin. "Just make sure to
wrap yourselves up in warm cloaks and to go quickly. The
guests are expected soon."
The girls returned before long and came in through the back
entrance, directly into the warm kitchen. A delicious aroma
of freshly baked cookies and cakes welcomed them. "Could we
have just a taste of those fine cookies? They smell
absolutely mouthwatering."
The rebbetzin laid some out on a platter while Mirel cut some
of the freshly baked cake to pass around. All was quiet for a
few moments.
*
The guests arrived and were shown into the spotless parlor
while Mirel sat in her room, waiting to be called in to be
'looked at.' Soon, the young maid knocked on her door and
said they were waiting for her. Mirel entered the parlor with
its solid oak furniture, breakfront and sofa, used only on
Shabbos or for important guests, and saw an elderly couple
sitting stiffly by the table. Complete silence reigned. The
woman, bedecked with heavy gold jewelry, raised a hand to
fondle the long string of pearls around her neck. Diamonds
gleamed from the rings on her fingers. Mirel lowered her gaze
to her own new dress, which looked suddenly shabby and
unfashionable.
"That is a fine dress you are wearing," said the woman, a
hint of dissatisfaction belying her words. Mirel just nodded
without looking up.
The Rov broke the stiff silence with a sigh. "I just heard
some sad news today. Our local watercarrier has fallen ill
and will not be able to work for some time. Meanwhile, his
large family is starving. They have no money for food, let
alone medication. I am very troubled."
"Oh, why worry about a poor watercarrier? The poor are used
to lack of money. I am sure his neighbors will see that they
don't starve. But what does that have to do with us?" the
woman said, somewhat impatiently. The diamonds on her fingers
gleamed again as she made a gesture of dismissal.
The visit was soon over. Rabbi Boruch nodded to Mirel that
she could leave the room. Mirel felt very uncomfortable and
knew instinctively this was not a proper match. She went to
her room and confided with her friend, the servant girl.
"It was horrible. All the woman thinks about is clothes and
jewelry. You should have seen my father's face when she made
that comment about the poor being used to not having money
and that they wouldn't starve, after all..."
*
A few weeks later, Mirel met her intended match. This young
man was a scholar in his own right but also bore the proud
lineage of the Mogen Avrohom. But most important to Mirel,
his family was known for their acts of chessed, their
warm hospitality and their charity. Thus, she could continue
in the path in which her own mother had trained her and the
home she established would also be one of chessed.
And so it was. Mirel carried on the tradition of her caring
parents and was encouraged, as well, by the example her in-
laws set in this same area.
This was the true match ordained in Heaven.
