Pay the Shadchan

We learn from the Pasha how careful Eliezer was to muzzle his camels on his way to search for a wife for Yitzchak. He wanted to be sure that he did not violate the prohibition against stealing from private fields on his journey. Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira זצ״ל pointed out a serious problem that exists in the Shidduch world. He told of several instances where couples married and they were unable to have children. When these couples went to various Gedolim, to find out what was stopping them from starting a family, surprisingly, they were asked if they paid their Shadchan, marriage broker, their fee. On numerous occasions, they had not paid, as the couples didn’t feel that the Shadchan was worthy of her fee. The Rabbis explained that this was a serious form of גזל, theft, and until they made things right, they would not be blessed with children. This is well documented that this story repeated itself on many occasions. And once the Shadchan, or Shadchanit, in modern Hebrew, was paid, babies soon followed. This demonstrates how careful we must be to stay away from גזל, on any level.