There are Mitzvah-Favors I'll Gladly Do, and There's Chutzpah

As most of you know, I work in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, which is a "clothing for the entire family" store in a shopping center, "strip mall," just north of Jerusalem, patronized by Jews and Arabs. There are certain types of favors I love to do for my neighbors, but on rare occasions people ask the chutzpadik.

I've picked up emergency medicine, returned lost/forgotten wallets and other valuables. That sort of thing I do gladly. But I'm not going to use my limited time-off to shop for books for someone and then be stuck carrying them back home. I don't have a car. I tremp aka hitchhike. The only shopping I do is for my own family, certainly not strangers who call and ask me to get for children I don't know. I'm also never going to buy something for someone when the same product is available in a local Shiloh store.

I think it's important to patronize local businesses. If there's a store in my community I get what I can there. Since I do work in Yafiz, which is next to Rami Levy, I shop in those stores more than I did before working there. It's convenient. And for me the stores in Sha'ar Binyamin should be patronized before going to Jerusalem, Ariel or other places.