To Rav Pinkus, Money Was Nothing - and Rav Shach's Pikchus

Not for All the Money in the World

It is told that a chosson once came to Harav R’ Shimshon Dovid Pinkus zt”l with a shailah.

His chasuna was approaching, but there was a financial issue involved. As the story is told, there was some kind of insurance claim, and if he would remain single for just a couple more weeks, he would be able to receive a significantly larger sum of money.

The chosson wanted to know whether he should or even could push off the chasuna for a short time in order to gain that money.

Rav Pinkus heard the shailah and answered clearly.

“We do not push off a chasuna,” he told him. “No matter what.”

But Rav Pinkus saw that the chosson was having a hard time accepting the answer. The money was significant, and the nisayon felt very real to him.

Seeing this, Rav Pinkus suggested that they go together to Harav R’ Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l and ask the shailah.

They came to Rav Shach and presented the question. Rav Shach listened carefully to the chosson and heard out the details. But while Rav Pinkus was there, Rav Shach did not give a clear answer.

The meeting ended, and they began to leave.

As the chosson was on his way out, Rav Shach called him back and told him quietly:

“We do not push off weddings.”

Afterward, Rav Shach was asked why he had not simply given that answer right away.

Rav Shach explained that Rav Pinkus was sitting there, and to Rav Pinkus, money was absolutely worthless. Money had no pull for him. To him, there was no question.

Rav Shach added that Rav Pinkus may one day be a manhig of Klal Yisroel, and he wanted him to see that for others, money is something. A large sum of money can be a real nisayon.

With this story we catch a glimpse of some of the gadlus of these two great men.