Rav Menachem Shach ZTL, one of the Torah luminaries of the last generation, was orphaned from his father as a young man. He grew up and was a very serious student. The time eventually came for him to look for a wife. The wealthy Jewish men would traditionally seek prized students for son-in-laws providing them with a generous dowry and house to continue pursuing their studies without any financial burden. Rav Shach certainly fit this description but since he was fatherless he didn't have anyone on "his side" to make sure he would find a suitable bride who's father was also willing to provide him with a dowry. He became engaged to a girl who's father didn't agree (or didn't have the means) to provide him with such dowry. Although Rav Shach himself didn't seem to mind, when he returned to his friends with the good news, they were very upset as they felt he was taken advantage of by his future father-in-law. They urged him to break the engagement as they felt the arrangement strayed from the normal standard of society at the time and would be detrimental to Rav Shach's future studies.

Rav Shach responded to his friends that he thought nothing of their objections and would proceed. If Hashem See's that this is fit then He can provide for him in numerous ways. R'Shach married, and they rented a small place in the city of Vilna, Lithuania. The other students who received dowries all lived in their own homes, but Rav Shach rented. When the the Nazi's YMS were approaching the town R'Shach, and anyone else who rented, quickly left before they arrived. The people who owned their homes were obviously much more reluctant to leave and they stayed around hoping that they would be able to keep their property and things would pass. Unfortunately quickly after entering Vilna the Nazis YMS wiped out the entire Jewish Community.

It was due to R'Shach's strong trust and belief in G-d that he was in fact saved.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath