Yair is an Israeli, not yet religious, but he has a warm regard for Judaism and he observes a few mitzvos, traditions that he saw growing up.
This story took place about twenty-five years ago. Yair decided to emigrate from Eretz Yisroel with his family and move to New York. He found a well-paying job in Manhattan with a close friend, also an Israeli, who had a store for toys and clothing. Yair’s job was to manage the store. The store did well and the friend was pleased with Yair’s work.
One day, Yair was surprised to see a young man wearing a dark suit and a black hat walk into the store. The young man approached Yair, shook his hand and introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Yossi and I am a Chassid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I came to put t’fillin on with you.” (This was R’ Yossi Ginsburgh, today a rav and shliach in Ramat Aviv).
Yair was taken aback by the unusual visit but agreed to put on t’fillin. He was familiar with them, having put on t’fillin at his bar mitzva and a few times since then. He quickly rolled up his sleeve and Yossi expertly wound the t’fillin around his arm.
Yossi was a nice guy and Yair enjoyed talking to him. Yossi directed the conversation toward topics of Torah and mitzvos.
“Is the store open on Shabbos and holidays?” asked Yossi.
Yair shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, I’m sorry to say … yes. Although in Eretz Yisroel I did not work on Shabbos and holidays, here in America it’s a bit different. It’s hard not to work on Shabbos. All the stores are open and my boss says I have to come in.”
Yossi explained that parnasa is from Hashem and if Hashem says to keep Shabbos, then Shabbos is the source of blessing. You can’t benefit from money earned by desecrating Shabbos!
Yair was convinced. “Okay, the next holiday, Shavuos, I’ll stay home. Tomorrow I’ll tell my boss and I hope he’ll understand.”
Yossi wished Yair good luck and left.
Yair was happy with his decision. He felt he had done the right thing.
“Listen, I’m taking off for Shavuos. I want to celebrate with my family,” he told the boss.
His friend looked at him in astonishment. “Are you serious?”
Yair nodded.
“That’s your decision, but you have to know that if you don’t come to work on Shavuos, you are fired.”
Yair wasn’t worried. He did not think his friend was serious about firing him. Would he really fire a good employee just because he took off two days?
Yair and his family enjoyed Shavuos. Yair went to shul after a long absence and felt spiritually uplifted. Then Shavuos was over.
Yair got up early, got into his car, and went to work. His friend angrily said, “What are you doing here? I told you, you’re fired!”
Yair couldn’t say a word. He could not believe this was happening. What would he do now? How would he pay his bills? He had to cover his rent, buy food, and there were so many other expenses.
He returned home feeling very despondent. For two weeks he did not know what to do with himself. He had no idea how to go about looking for a new job in this foreign country.
A few days went by and he met Yossi again. Yossi said, “Hi Yair, how are you? You look dejected. What’s going on?”
Yair felt Yossi wanted the best for him and that he was a good listener. He told Yossi what had happened and how he was stuck now, without a job.
“Don’t worry,” Yossi said reassuringly. “On Sunday, the Lubavitcher Rebbe gives out dollars for tz’daka and blesses people. Come, wait on line, and ask the Rebbe for a bracha.”
Yair had nothing to lose. The following Sunday he traveled to Crown Heights and waited on a long line which slowly moved over a period of hours. The great moment arrived and he found himself facing the Rebbe. He was emotionally overcome. “Rebbe,” Yair said in a trembling voice. “Bless me so I won’t have to work on Shabbos.”
Did you notice what he said? He did not say bless me that I find a good job. He only asked that he succeed in doing what Hashem desires.
The Rebbe smiled, handed him a dollar, and said, “Blessing and success, speedily.”
Yair left, feeling encouraged, and hurried to report to Yossi who said, “With a bracha like that, you can relax. You will soon see a yeshua!”
The very next day, Yair went to Manhattan to meet with his former boss in order to receive the money he was owed. There was no parking near the store so he parked at a distance, near another store.
When he got out of his car, he saw the owner of the store opposite him, who was also an Israeli.
“Yair! Why haven’t we seen you in so long?”
Yair told him about his desire to keep Shabbos and holidays and how he was fired because of this.
“Really? Then you came just in time. I am looking for a good employee like yourself to run my store.”
“But you sell electronics and I don’t know anything about them …”
“I rely on you with closed eyes,” insisted the store owner. “Within a few months you will know everything. I will pay you well and you won’t have to work on Shabbos and holidays.”
Yair worked at this store for many years and made more money than before. The Rebbe’s bracha was fulfilled, speedily.