Rabbi Yehuda Levin’s life was replete with vast prosperity, but also challenging setbacks. Yet he left us with timeless lessons in how to smile through it all
Photos: Family archives
It was late at night,and Rabbi Yehuda Levin was just coming home after a vigorous seder with his chavrusa. Upon entering the house, he overheard his wife on the phone with a close friend.
“What can I tell you — the salary they pay is just not working for me,” the voice on the speaker phone was confiding to Mrs. Chaya Levin. “Look, I’m not blaming the school — it’s hard to raise a teacher’s salary. But you would think that after all these years of giving it my all, I would be able to actually cover my expenses….” The conversation continued, but Reb Yehuda had heard enough.
Before long, Reb Yehuda was on the phone with the school’s administrator. “Double her salary,” he instructed. “Don’t worry — I’ll make sure to cover the difference, whatever it is.”
This arrangement went on for years, the teacher never discovering the secret behind the school’s sudden plenitude of funds and Reb Yehuda never receiving any credit for his largesse — but that was exactly how he wanted it. Because to Rabbi Yehuda Levin, it was never about the applause, the accolades, or even the simple thank-you; it was about enabling another Yid to live with dignity and peace of mind.
Create a free account to keep reading.
