By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
Business was bad, and tailor Moshe Kabriner was struggling to support his family. So when he heard that the local squire’s tailor had left town, he immediately applied to fill his place.
He arrived at the squire’s residence with some samples of his work, which the squire examined and approved.
“How much do you want as a salary?” the squire asked.
When Moshe stated an amount, the squire balked. His predecessor had requested only half as much, he told the tailor.
Moshe knew the truth: the previous tailor had been over-purchasing on material and selling the remainder to make up for the low salary. However, he did not want to be the one to tell the squire. He replied that he had to travel a long distance to get the best cut of material, hence the higher price.
Moshe got the job and the squire was delighted with his handiwork and considered the extra money well spent.
Some months later, he inquired whether Moshe was still using the special cut of material. Surely he could now accept a lower salary?
Reminding himself once more to always deal honestly in business, Moshe answered that the new cut of material required extra time as well—he had to update his techniques to deal with the more modern fabric. The squire accepted this response and continued to pay him the higher wage.
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