Embarrassment: Challahs for Shabbos

There lived in the ancient city of Tsefas a Jewish man and his wife. They had escaped the Inquisition in Spain, but sadly, they knew very little about being Jewish. These people had a deep love for G-d but knew very little about halachah (Jewish Law). They were overjoyed to finally be able to practice the religion of their ancestors openly.

One night, he heard a talk by the rabbi of the synagogue he attended about lechem hapanim, the "show-bread" which was offered in the Holy Temple each Friday before Shabbat. (Leviticus 24:5-9) After discussing the various laws and procedures governing the preparation of this offering and touching on its mystical meanings, the rabbi sadly reminded everyone there that because of our sins, we no longer could bring this offering.

The man took these words to heart. When he arrived home, he asked his wife to bake two special challahs (traditional braided egg bread) for G-d. He told her all he could remember from the rabbi's teaching. She went to the market and bought the finest ingredients, sifted the flour thirteen times, kneaded it seven times, and baked the dough until it was golden brown. The man told his wife that he would offer these challahs to G-d; hopefully He would consider them an acceptable gift, and eat them. His wife wrapped the warm challahs in a fine cloth and gave them to her husband early Friday afternoon. He took them into the shul (synagogue), when no one was likely to be there. Then he placed the wrapped challah in the Holy Ark, beneath the Torah scrolls. He prayed and cried that G-d should look upon his offering with favor, and eat and enjoy the lovely, freshly baked challah.

The next day, when the Holy Ark was opened to take out the Torah to read, the loaves were not there! He was so happy. He rushed home and told his wife that G-d had accepted their two challahs, and eaten them while they were still warm!

And so every Friday morning the wife faithfully baked two beautiful challahs, paying careful attention to every detail, great and small, and every Friday afternoon the man took them to the synagogue, and prayed from his heart that G-d would accept their challahs.

A year went by, and one Friday, the rabbi of the synagogue stayed much later than usual. He was standing on the bimah (reading platform), reviewing the lesson he planned to give the next day, when, to his surprise, he saw the man come in carrying two challahs, walk up to the Ark, and gently place them inside. He realized that the man was unaware of his presence, and he heard him say fervent prayers for G-d to accept and enjoy the challahs.

The rabbi called the man over and asked him what he was doing. The man replied in all innocence, Every Friday night I come here with my offering. I put it in the holiest spot in the synagogue, the Holy Ark, and pray that it pleases G-d."

When the rabbi heard the man's simple reason, he did not know whether to laugh or to be angry at him. He scolded him, "Do you really think that G-d is like a man, that He has a mouth and needs to eat and drink?

"I am a simple person, Rabbi," the man answered in a trembling voice, "I have never had the opportunity to study Torah or halachah. I thought that He appreciated my challahs, that He ate it. You see, I have been doing this for a long time, every Friday night. And in the morning, when the Torah is taken out, the challahs are always gone. I was sure that He accepted my gift which I gave with all my heart."

The rabbi told the man to wait in the shadows of the synagogue and watch what happens. At that moment, the caretaker entered the synagogue, went up the Holy Ark and took the challahs. The rabbi asked the caretaker what he was doing. "I am old and I can't afford everything my wife and I need to the holy Sabbath Day and G-d has provided me challahs for these many months."

The rabbi angrily said, "You foolish foolish man! What do you think? That G-d cares about your particular needs out of the whole world?"

Suddenly, a messenger from the "Holy Ari" the Chief Rabbi of Tsefas came into the synagogue told the rabbi, in the name of his master to go home, say goodbye to his family, and prepare himself; because after his lesson the next morning, his soul will depart to its eternal rest. The Heavenly court has decreed your death for the way you shamed both these men. The rabbi couldn't believe what he had just heard. So he went directly to the Holy Ari, who confirmed the message and added, as gently as possible, "I heard that it is because you stopped G-d's pleasure, the likes of which He hasn't enjoyed since the day the Holy Temple was destroyed. That is what He felt when this innocent man would bring his two precious challahs to your shul each week, faithfully offering them to G-d from the depths of his heart with joy and awe, and believing that G-d had taken them, until you irrevocably destroyed his innocence. And the caretaker's simple faith and prayers thanking G-d for providing for his Sabbath needs.

We learn that "One who embarrasses another in public and causes him to blush in shame is considered as having murdered him." (Bava Metzia 58b) You have murdered two men by your actions. For this the decree was sealed against you, and there is no possibility to change it."

The rabbi bowed his head and returned home. And the next day, as he completed his lesson, he died.

THE MEANING OF THE STORY

1. Did the man do anything wrong?
2. Why did the man and his wife bake the challahs and put them in the synagogue each week?
3. Were the actions and prayers of the man right?
4. What did the rabbi do wrong?
5. How could a person who has studied so much Torah do this kind of harm?

THINKING ABOUT THE STORY

Here are some Jewish texts that discuss honor and embarrassment. Read each one with a partner and answer the questions. When you're done, summarize them into a lesson that you feel could help others better understand the lessons that the story teaches.

2. How would you explain "Anyone who shames another person in public is like a person who sheds blood" in your own words?

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