Schnorer!

After a huge earthquake, a couple was buried under the rubble. The wife was freaking out from fear; the husband seemed content and relaxed.

When asked by his wife from where he derives such confidence and hope, the man responded that he had promised two thousand dollars to the local day school. They were sure to come find him…

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Here’s a story from the Talmud:

King Munbaz squandered all his treasures and the treasures put away by his ancestors, feeding the poor during years of hunger. His brothers and his father’s family ganged up on him and said to him: “Your ancestors stored treasures and added to the treasures stored by their ancestors, and you squandered them!” Said he to them: “My ancestors stored below, and I stored above; my ancestors stored in a place where a foreign hand can reach, and I stored in a place where a foreign hand cannot reach; my ancestors stored things that do not bear fruit, and I stored things that bear fruit; my ancestors hoarded money, and I hoarded souls; my ancestors stored for others, and I stored for myself; my ancestors stored for this world, and I stored for the World to Come.”

*

Location: 770 Eastern Parkway. Time: 24/6. Situation: Some shnorer is begging for some cash.

I’m sure you recognize that scene, for be it Italy, NY, or Mexico, any place that might have had a Jew amongst her residents in the last decade is not safe from the plague of shnorers. They will dig you up, even if you modernize your name to Mc-something. Rest assured; they’ll find you.

Like one guy said, the reason that G-d did not send upon Egypt the Plague of Beggars is because G-d wanted ten plagues and the beggars would do them all in one…

But all jokes aside – and this is not a paid advertisement of Shnorers Inc. – charity is the best investment you can ever make. It is even a proven method to make more money! As our sages state, G-d promises that if you give a tenth of your earnings to charity, you will be blessed with riches.

And this is the only time that G-d challenges you to test him! So come on and put G-d to the test!

Do something about it:

Become a millionaire, give charity