R. Pesach Kuper of Taganrog (in the Rostov region) was a chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek, Rebbe Maharash, and Rebbe Rashab. He was a successful businessman, and he devoted himself to raising money for Colel Chabad and needy chassidim.

As one of the elder chassidim, the Rebbe Rashab held R. Pesach in high esteem and would accord him great honor when he came to Lubavitch.

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R. Pesach was once presented with a lucrative opportunity to partner with Jewish magnates in constructing the Russian highways. However, when he brought it up in yechidus, the Rebbe Maharash rejected the idea. R. Pesach shared various reasons why he thought it would be a good investment, but the Rebbe simply replied, “I want that your success should be yours alone.” R. Pesach didn’t raise the topic again.

After that yechidus, R. Pesach started to succeed in his business more than he ever imagined, while those magnates lost all their wealth.

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One summer, the Rebbe Rashab went for datche to Zaulsha where R. Pesach lived at that time. On Mondays and Thursdays, after Krias HaTorah, R. Pesach would go around and collect money for needy chassidim. Then, he would empty all the coins and approach the Rebbe Rashab. He would take the coins the Rebbe gave him and sell them to raise additional money for tzedaka.

Once, when he approached the Rebbe, he asked the Rebbe to have a special kavana, since he would be selling the coins. The Rebbe replied, “There’s a simple kavana to be had: the more one gives, the better.”