A certain God-fearing Torah scholar who doesn’t shy away from controversy when there is no choice (acting truly for the sake of heaven) once related to me that he tried hard to marry his daughter into an illustrious rabbinic family (in his thinking, anyway), but the shidduch failed.
Why? Because someone whispered to the potential mechutan about the father’s controversial actions. “Not that there’s anything wrong with him, chalilah! He is (probably) doing the good and proper thing. And the family (may) have great qualities. But still, what does that have to do with you? Find a different kosher family, minus the baggage. What do you need a headache for?!”
The non-mechutan is quite famous. I’m sure you heard of him: the “Ploni Almoni” Rebbe!
From the book of Ruth (thinking along the lines of the famous explanation of the Brisker Rav):
…
And he said, “Who are you? ” And she said, “I am Ruth, your handmaid, and you shall spread your skirt over your handmaid, for you are a near kinsman.”
And he said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter; your latest act of kindness is greater than the first, not to follow the young men, whether poor or rich.
It wasn’t just Boaz who realized her nobility:
And now, my daughter, do not fear, all that you say I will do for you, for the entire gate of my people know that you are a valiant woman.
And now, indeed, I am a near kinsman, but there is a kinsman closer than I.
Stay over tonight, and it will come to pass in the morning, that if he redeems you, well, let him redeem you, but if he does not wish to redeem you, I will redeem you, as the Lord lives; lie down until morning.”
…
And Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken was passing, and he said, “Turn aside, sit down here, Ploni Almoni,” and he turned aside and sat down.
Why is his name erased?
…
And Boaz said, “On the day that you buy the field from the hand of Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased, you have bought [it], to preserve the name of the deceased on his heritage.”
And the near kinsman said, “I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I mar my heritage. You redeem my redemption for yourself for I cannot redeem [it].”
Or, as the expression goes in Yiddish: “Don’t lie down with a healthy head in a sick bed.”
… And Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
That David, huh? Must be chance.