כי ה’ אלקיך ברכך בכל מעשה ידיך (דברים ב:ז)

Someone once came to Rebbe Hershele of Liska zt”l with a complaint: a competitor had opened a shop nearby, and he was anxious that this new business would hurt his own parnassah.

Reb Hershele responded with a mashal(parable):

A man owned a chicken, and each day he would throw some breadcrumbs into its coop. One day, he brought in a second chicken and placed it in the same coop. The first chicken, afraid that the newcomer would eat all the food, attacked it—pecking and pulling out its feathers.

Watching this, the owner said, “Foolish chicken! Don’t you understand? I see there are now two of you, and I will throw in a double portion—enough for both.”

Reb Hershele then explained: “Parnassah comes from Hashem. If two people are now in the same line of work, Hashem will expand the opportunity and provide for both. There is no need to worry—just as the owner increased the food for two chickens, Hashem provides for all His creations.”