He Promised, by Reb Gutman Locks
He was on a Birthright trip. When I told him he had to marry a Jewish girl he told me that he was dating a non-Jewish girl whom he liked very much.
“We can’t go by what we like. Yes, we have to like the girl we marry, but that’s not enough. Our heads have to rule over our hearts.”
I showed him in the prayer he was reading that Hashem tells us not to follow our eyes and hearts for they will lead us astray. I explained how important it is for the Jewish people to survive and for his family to remain among us.
On and on I gave him reasons to marry only a Jewish girl.
After he read the Shema I had him go stand by the Kotel and pray for his family and then to ask Hashem to guide him in whom he should marry.
Some 10 minutes later he walked back and said that he was going to call up the non-Jewish girl and break off their relationship and that he would look for a Jewish girl to marry.
I said, “Make a promise to yourself that you will marry only a Jewish girl.”
I told him that Hashem had blessed him to make that decision and that he will be thankful his entire life.
“Come back next year with the girl.”
He smiled.
He said that he promised. Please G-d, he will remember.
Thank G-d, (hopefully) we saved a Jewish family from the disaster of intermarriage.