The Man Who Couldn't Read—and the Job Only He Could Do

“You shall observe to do according to all that they instruct you…” (Devarim 17:10). This verse teaches us to listen to the wise Torah leaders in every generation, for they carry the guidance of Hashem, our Creator. Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, the son of the late Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira, once told a moving story that beautifully illustrates how Hashem cares for each person personally—no matter their background or abilities.

Back in the day, many Jews would go to Rabbi Meir before moving to Israel. They were leaving behind everything—jobs, homes, and familiar lives—to begin again in the Holy Land. It was a big leap of faith. Rabbi Meir would give them strength, comfort them, and send them off with blessings.

One day, a man came to Rabbi Meir’s home crying. When the Rav asked what was wrong, the man replied, “I’m moving to Israel, but I don’t know how to read or write. How will I ever earn a living in a country where everyone is educated?”

Rabbi Meir looked at him with warmth and said, “Hashem feeds and cares for every creature He created—with mercy and great kindness. Someone who knows how to read and write will get a job that needs those skills. And someone who doesn’t? Hashem will give him a job that doesn’t require reading or writing. You have nothing to worry about.”

The man’s heart was lifted. He made aliyah (immigrated to Israel) and settled in Kiryat Ata. His son eventually got a job at Rafael, Israel’s weapons development authority, and worked closely with a top missile engineer.

One day, the engineer turned to him and said, “We have a problem. We have huge stacks of classified documents piling up. Because of strict security rules, we can’t just throw them away. We need someone to destroy them—but it has to be someone who can’t read, so they won’t see any sensitive information.”

The assistant smiled and said, “I know just the person. My father.”

The engineer checked into it. When he saw the man truly couldn’t read or write and was an honest, trustworthy person, they hired him. He was given his own office and worked full days shredding top-secret papers—earning a respectable salary, all because of something he once cried about.

He worked there for 30 years. When he reached retirement age, he was sent home with a nice pension. But he wasn’t at peace. He came to Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, Rabbi Meir’s son, and said, “Your father promised me parnassah (livelihood) for life. But now I’ve been let go.”

Rabbi David answered with calm and confidence: “Don’t worry. If my father gave his word—it won’t return empty.”

Sure enough, within a short time, the company called him back. They had tried to replace him but couldn’t find another trustworthy person who couldn’t read! Once again, he returned to his work, earning a living not despite his challenge—but because of it.

This story teaches us something very precious: Hashem, the Creator of the world, watches over each of us. He gives every person what they need, in His perfect way. Whether you have degrees or never went to school, Hashem knows exactly how to take care of you.

Based on the book Abir Yaakov.