Things Like Out of a Novel

You would not be very blameworthy if you thought that this story is from a novel. My son-in-law seems to have an aptitude to get into the most extra-ordinary situations. As I related in the COMMENTS to a previous post,he was once lynched by a group of Arabs, being saved at the last minute. (He was so upset at the way he was sent without a good guide that he demanded – and received- an exemption from any further duty.)
Well, again he has had the story “of a lifetime” this week. And my subtitle for this post is: “My Son-in-law the Tzaddik” (“righteous one”)
K., my son-in-law is not your typical “religious” Jew. Certainly not the typical type of Chareidi (orthodox) person that my daughter would have been expected to marry if you knew which high school she had attended. But K. is, in my mind, a very good fellow, and the following story shows it.
K. is working now as the director of a “refurbishing” (fixing things, cleaning marble, etc.) at an area where many people pass daily. Usually he works alongside his workers, directing them as he works, not from the ground as most bosses would. But one day last week he was feeling a bit under-the-weather, so he sat and drank a hot glass of tea as his workers tackled their tasks. Suddenly K. noticed a briefcase to the side of the work area. He asked who it belonged to, but got no reply. He opened it to look for identification, and discovered that it was packed to the hilt with money. This, to put it mildly, was NOT what he had expected. He immediately realized that he had in his hands enough cash to pay off a lingering dept from his wedding, and perhaps enough to put a down payment on an apartment. It was a find like you only read about in stories.
Rather than call his wife with the good news, he called his Rabbi. Money usually does not have “identifying” signs, but, his Rabbi said, if someone comes looking and ASKING for the money, the amount and the type of briefcase are yes signs, and you should return it in such a case. A while later he saw a couple going by, a chareidi (Jewish Orthodox) couple, and the wife was crying. K. went over and asked what was wrong. He got no answer, and asked her again. It turned out that they had lost the down payment for an apartment, one they had saved up for, penny by penny, for years. Now they and their children would have no means to buy an apartment after all. So my tzaddik of a son-in-law said good-bye to the money and returned it. In print it looks easy; in life, when you know exactly how you could use it, it is not so casually done……
Of course I told my daughter, “I am sure you didn’t lose out with this. This couple will be blessing you in their hearts, and I am sure that this will be a big advocate for you in front of G-d.”
I know that I appreciate my son-in-law, but now I admire him even more…….

[PS. I originally posted this last night, and later removed it and posted something for Down syndrome day. So if you missed that, you might want to go check it out. (Like if you arrive here via a feed.) (And R., who got confused last time that I did something like this, I was thinking of you. Yes, you DID read this-prehaps--before!) Have a good week everyone!]