Welcome to the Daily Holy Story. In the memory books of Saloniki, there is a story about the wealthy man Moshe Altini, who was very famous in the city for giving charity because of his great wealth. One morning, an old man showed up at his palace. Altini was at the entrance to his home with his suitcase, ready to take a ship to Marseille in France for a very important business meeting. When Altini saw the elderly man asking for help, he hinted to his servants to give him two coins. But the old Jew started to cry and asked the wealthy Altini to wait a moment, read the letter he had in his hands, and then decide how much he wanted to give him. The wealthy man, Altini, who had a soft heart, quickly opened the letter and read it. It said that the elderly man had a young daughter who was about to get married, and that the rabbi who wrote the letter was asking Altini to give the old man a very hefty loan. Altini gave him the money and hurried to his wagon to get to the port and take the ship to Marseille. When he got there, it was too late. He had missed the ship. The ship left without him, and he was extremely upset.
When he came back home, he yelled at his servants for delaying him with that old Jew. Lo and behold, the next day, there was a telegram on his table from France, carefully asking whether the wealthy man Altini had gone on the ship to Marseille. The ship had sunk in the middle of the night, and all its passengers had perished. His bewilderment and happiness knew no bounds. He commanded his servants to find the old man and bring him before him. The servants went out looking for the Jew. When the old man found out they were looking for him, he fled. He was sure the wealthy Altini’s servants were coming to take back the money.
After the servants explained to his wife why they had come, she told them he had run away to the cemetery and was hiding there. The old man stood and started reading Tehillim (Psalms) in the cemetery, on the holy graves of the Tzaddikim (righteous ones). When he saw the wealthy man’s servants coming toward him, he started to run away and hide among the monuments in the cemetery. The people who were there tried to protect him from his pursuers. But when they found out the purpose of the servants’ visit, they allowed them to take the old man. The servants put him on the wagon and took him back to the mansion of the wealthy Altini.
In the mansion, Altini started to hug the old man, thank him, and give him gifts and all kinds of presents. The old Jew, who was surprised and very moved by the wealthy Altini’s actions, found it very difficult to speak to him. He told him, “It wasn’t me who saved your life, but rather the merit of the tzedakah (charity) that you gave.” As we know, the famous saying says, tzedakah tatzil mimavet. Charity saves one from death. Thank you for listening and have a splendid, wonderful day.