Two Grooms, One Hall: A Wedding Miracle of Kindness

Some names and wedding hall details have been kept confidential out of respect for those involved.

"You only get married once in your life. I can’t give up this opportunity. If I don’t receive a blessing from one of the greatest tzaddikim (righteous rabbis) of our generation, how will I make it to the chuppah (wedding canopy)?"

In the back seat of a bus sat Itzik, listening with curiosity to a conversation happening in front of him. A groom was speaking to his friends, pleading with them to understand how important it was for him to get a special blessing on his wedding day from a great Torah sage. His friends gently tried to convince him to let go of the idea, it just didn’t seem possible but the groom couldn’t give it up. He wanted that bracha (blessing), and he wanted it from this specific tzaddik, on this special day.

Itzik, who was also engaged and getting married in just ten days, was intrigued. The rabbi the groom had mentioned happened to be his relative, his father’s uncle.

After a few more minutes of listening, Itzik got up, approached the groom, and kindly apologized for overhearing. Then he said something that would set a remarkable chain of events into motion: “The tzaddik you’re talking about? He’s my relative. I’ll do everything I can to help you get in to see him for a blessing. I promise.”

Meanwhile, across town, David sat anxiously in the waiting room at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. His elderly mother had suddenly taken ill and was undergoing treatment. Holding his Tehillim (Book of Psalms), David poured his heart out in prayer between updates from the medical staff.

In the middle of a chapter, his phone buzzed. His son Itzik’s number appeared. David calmly finished the chapter, then returned the call.

But when his son answered, David was met with a wave of confusion: “No hall… the date’s taken… wedding in ten days!”

“Slow down,” David said gently. “Start from the beginning.”

Itzik explained. “Remember that groom I told you about who wanted the blessing from your uncle? When I spoke with him, we realized we’re both getting married in ten days. In Petach Tikva. I asked him what hall, and you won’t believe it, he’s getting married in the exact same wedding hall that we booked. Same date, same location.”

David tried to stay calm. He called the hall’s office in Petach Tikva and was told that the complex indeed had two separate halls. That gave him a little relief.

But when he asked which of the two halls was booked for his son’s wedding, the answer left him stunned.

“Neither.”

“What?!” David was shocked. “I spoke with you on the phone. You mailed us envelopes with your logo. We printed and sent out all the invitations. The wedding is in ten days! How can you say we don’t have a reservation?”

The hall manager was unmoved. “Sir, we clearly state that an event is only reserved once a five percent deposit is paid. You never paid. Both halls are now booked by people who did pay.”

David felt the world spin.

But Hashem was already arranging something even better.

Community members in David’s city heard about the mix-up and quickly stepped in. They made calls, reached out to connections, and pulled every string they could. Eventually, one of the most prestigious hall owners in Petach Tikva touched by the story through a friend of a friend offered his stunning hall, available that same night, for the same price as the previous hall. Not a single shekel more.

And so, the wedding took place with great joy, in an even more beautiful venue than originally planned. The simcha (celebration) was filled with music, dancing, and a deep sense of gratitude to Hashem.

Later, David shared the story with a well-known rabbi and speaker: “Can you imagine what would have happened if Itzik hadn’t gotten up and offered help to that other groom? We would’ve had four families show up on the same night, in the same place, thinking it was their wedding. What a disaster it could’ve been!”

But instead, because of one small act of kindness with no personal benefit, everything was saved. And not just saved, but turned into something even more beautiful than anyone could have imagined.

And after a story like this, the words of our Sages ring so true: “Everything a person does, he does for himself.” Sometimes, when you do something for someone else, it turns out to be exactly what you needed too.