The chasidim visited both young men and chose the second of the two. They then concluded the engagement to the satisfaction of the young man and his family. The father of the groom told the chasidim, "Take this gift along for the bride and tell her father that I await a similar gift for my son."
Reb Dovid and his daughter were delighted with the good news and the gift. Reb Dovid tried to put the money together for a gift to send in return, but due to his extreme poverty he was unable to come up with a sizeable sum.
Reb Dovid wrote a letter to the groom's family, assuring them that he would eventually be sending a dowry. Then, he traveled to the Baal Shem Tov to explain his predicament. The Baal Shem Tov listened compassionately and said, "Do not worry. Trust in G-d and everything will be all right."
When Reb Dovid arrived home he found a letter waiting for him from the groom's family. 'We have not yet received the dowry. Is it not time for our children to celebrate their wedding?"
Overwrought with worry, Reb Dovid decided to travel once again to the Baal Shem Tov and explain the urgency of the situation.
"I told you not to worry," the Baal Shem Tov told Reb Dovid. "Go home, put your trust in G-d, and everything will work out well."
Reb Dovid returned home, but upon his arrival, Reb Dovid found another letter: "We are leaving for your city within two weeks. Please be prepared for us."
"Two weeks," Reb Dovid read, in sheer misery. He didn't even have enough food in his house for his own family let alone the groom's family and all their guests. His only option was to go once again to the Baal Shem Tov.
As Reb Dovid neared the Baal Shem Tov's study hall, one of his traveling companions pointed to a beautiful carriage travelling in front of them and said jokingly, "There is your help."
As it happened, the passenger in the carriage arrived just a moment before Reb Dovid and they both entered the Rebbe's room together. The Baal Shem Tov greeted only Reb Dovid and said, "I want to tell you a story. There lived in Danzig a wealthy merchant named Reuven. Once he was returning from a very successful business trip with his bookkeeper and secretary. The two men became jealous of their employer's wealth and plotted to rob him. They attacked the coach driver and beat him to death. They then bound Reuven to a tree.
" 'Please, spare my life for the sake of my wife and children,' Reuven pleaded. 'Take all of my money but spare my life.'
"The two thieves laughed. 'We cannot leave you alive. Prepare to die.'
" 'Then give me five minutes to say the final confession,' Reuven pleaded.
"The thieves agreed. While Reuven said the final confession, he wept from the depths of his heart. He called out to G-d, 'I swear that if my life is spared, I will give one quarter of my fortune to the poor of my family and one quarter to other needy causes.'
"At that moment the sound of hoof-beats were heard approaching. The would-be-murderers fled, leaving Reuven tied to the tree. It was a nobleman approaching with his servants. Having come upon an abandoned wagon loaded with costly merchandise, they entered the forest to investigate.
"The noblemen sent two of his servants to accompany Reuven home. There, Reuven rejoiced wholeheartedly with his family. After the celebration, Reuven called in a bookkeeper and ordered him, 'Add up all of my assets.'
"But when Reuven saw what a large sum half of his fortune was, his determination faltered. He decided that giving half of his fortune all at once, would break him. He therefore decided to 'pay it off' over many years' time.
"A short while later, Reuven's wife became ill. The local doctors could not figure out what was wrong with her. They sent Reuven's wife to specialists who sent her to other specialists. Reuven and his wife traveled from country to country, specialist to specialist. But no doctor could diagnose her illness.
"Finally Reuven's wife said to him, 'Let us go to the Baal Shem Tov.'
"Reuven agreed to his wife's suggestion," the Baal Shem Tov concluded. "How much money have you spent on doctors ever since your wife became ill?" the Baal Shem Tov asked the second visitor, finally acknowledging his presence. "Was it not more than a quarter of your fortune, the amount you should have given to the poor? Redeem the rest of your pledge immediately, down to the last penny. You will see that your wife will regain her health."
Reuven was still in shock from the Baal Shem Tov having so vividly described the horrifying events of the past few months. Dutifully, in front of the Baal Shem Tov and Reb Dovid, Reuven emptied his entire purse of money. It contained three thousand gold coins.
The Baal Shem Tov gave the money to Reb Dovid and it was not long before his daughter's wedding was celebrated amidst much joy and happiness.
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