A Sale at Macy’s: A True Hashgacha Pratis Story

As much as I prefer long coats, they don’t keep you warm. And at some point, winter will come. So I was in Macy’s, a bit lost, since I hadn’t been in a full department store probably in a couple of years, and was wandering around like a Ukranian immigrant in the early 90’s. Now accidentally on the wrong floor (or was it hashgacha pratis!!) I bumped into the women’s coats section. It was a “one day sale.” Charedi women were everywhere. You would have thought it was registration day for a physical therapy course at Touro College.

I became inspired. I eventually found the men’s coats section in the cellar.

Not only did I get one at a mere $125, but I got a further 15% off by signing up for a credit card that I will pay off immediately and never use again.

Then a friend of mine, let’s call him Left-Wing Modern Orthodox Buddy (even though that is simplifying it a little bit), happened to call me, and we decided to make a Tikkun Olam and down a couple of scotches at an Irish bar.

LWMO Buddy claimed that Macy’s has sales all the time. And that they mean nothing. I was going to remind him that, in fact, Macy’s had one of the greatest histories of corporate honesty, and that the story in Miracle on 34th St., where the saleswoman directs a customer to Gimbles for the exact product she is seeking, is based on a true policy of Macy’s. But I realized LWMO Buddy would counter that this proved nothing, as the independence of Macy’s ended in the 90’s, and all was left was the brand.

How was I to overcome my doubts that I had got “a deal?”

But then I pointed to the dense Charedi presence in the womens coats section, where the prices were parallel to the mens in their one day deep discounts. For the Charedim had come from all over. From Brooklyn, and even from other parts of Brooklyn. And they were clearly taking the sale seriously.

“Maybe they were fooled,” he offered weakly.

Did that really seem possible? That the Charedim would be fooled into paying full retail prices? Like, a bunch of them?

LWMO Buddy downed his scotch and nodded thoughtfully. He was trapped and he knew it.

“Well, I’m not saying you didn’t get a good price on your coat. I’m just disputing that it’s like the lowest price ever.”

I conceded that if I waited until January, and the coat was still around, I would certainly be able to get it for the price I had gotten it for. I was only claiming this was an exceptional deal for buying in season. LWMO Buddy took a look at the coat, and conceded it was a good price.

And the second round was enjoyed by me with full peace of mind.

Shabbat Shalom!