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MAY 1999 EDITION


    "What Comes Around,
    Goes Around"

    by Dr. James David Weiss

    From the book, "VINTAGE WEIN" - the collected wit and wisdom of Rabbi Berel Wein. By Dr. James David Weiss. Reprinted with permission. Published by Shaar Press. Available at http://www.artscroll.com.



At the age of 46, in 1928, Mr. Frankel, (a fictitious name) a wealthy labor lawyer in New York City, suffered a massive heart attack. After examining him, the doctors said that if he continued working at his present pace he had five years to live. His heart was too frail to last longer.

He decided to retire and enjoy the remainder of his life in Florida. He purchased annuities that would support him comfortably for the next 40 years, and moved into a beautiful home on Pine Tree Drive in the Miami Beach area. Slowly, he settled into a peaceful routine of piety, giving charity to Jewish causes. His favorite charity was the Ponevitch Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel.

Rabbi Berel Wein met him was when Mr. Frankel was 84 years old in 1966. Rabbi Wein recalls: I was a rabbi in a synagogue in Miami Beach and Mr. Frankel was one of my most stalwart congregants. Still spry and marvelously alert, he was a delightful senior who helped set the standards for charitable endeavors in our synagogue. One day he called me in for a visit. His housekeeper ushered me into his dining room where he revealed his life had taken an ominous turn.

"Rabbi, I'm now 85 years old, and a terrible thing has happened to me. I've outlived my income. When I was a younger man, the doctors only gave me five years to live, so to be on the safe side I bought 40 years of annuities. Now all my doctors are dead and my annuity has been spent. I've lived within my means - but beyond my years."

Sadly, he reported that he would have to sell his house and let his housekeeper go. "I'll have to change my whole standard of living. For the last five years I've been selling off my assets to meet expenses. The social security checks came in handy, but now it's not enough. I'll sell this house and move back to New Jersey."



Rabbi Wein knew Rabbi Yosef Kahaneman, the dean of the Ponevitch Yeshiva. Rabbi Kahaneman had been the main benefactor of Frankel's charity over the years. He was coming into town the following week on a fundraising trip. "Mr. Frankel, I have an idea. Don't sell the house yet. I think we may be able to work this out."

When Rabbi Kahaneman came into town, Rabbi Wein took him over to Frankel's home. Rabbi Kahaneman listened to his plight intently. He knew that Frankel had probably given over a million dollars to his yeshiva, both when it was in Europe and now in its reincarnated state in Israel. "This can't happen," he said, bewildered, "this can't be."

Rabbi Wein, trying to be helpful, began to explain the financial facts of life, but the venerable rabbi was way ahead of him. "Mr. Frankel, for 45 years you supported Torah. Now Torah is going to support you."

Rabbi Kahaneman made a decision that startled Rabbi Wein. On the spot, he put Mr. Frankel on the payroll of the Ponevitch Yeshiva. For the remaining two years of his life, Mr. Frankel made his living working as a "fundraiser" for the yeshiva he had supported all his life.

As they left his house, Rabbi Kahaneman said to Rabbi Wein, "Tzedakah (charity) is a two-way street. It benefits the giver as well as the receiver. We'll just redirect some of his money back to him."

Before his death, Frankel requested that he be buried in a very simple service. In his will, he left the remainder of his estate to the Ponevitch Yeshiva - returning tzedakah money once more to needy Torah scholars.



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