The Water Carrier – A Tale from Aleppo
The sky was a sad gray. Rain poured down from the heavens and a cold wind blew from the east, chilling everyone to the bone. The Chevra Kadisha (burial Society) was escorting the body of the town's water carrier, to his final resting place in the cemetery.
For thirty years, the water carrier would carry two buckets on his shoulders, and walk down the hill to draw water from the river. He would then slowly make his way back up the hill, with the heavy weight on his shoulders, and deliver this water to the people in the village. He did this each day, year after year, in order to earn enough money to feed his family.
Looking out his window, the young Chacham (rabbi) was surprised to see his aged father outside in the wet weather, accompanying the water carrier’s levaya (funeral procession).
Later that evening, the young chacham said to his father, "I was very surprised to see you walking the whole way to the cemetery and stay for the whole funeral. I know how busy you are, and how hard it is for you to get away from the bet midrash (house of study)."
"Do not be surprised, my son," his father answered. "When the funeral procession passed by the bet midrash, I saw thousands of angels singing Tehillim (Psalms) with beautiful voices. Singing in the center of all the angels was a tall majestic figure, larger than the rest, who appeared to be David haMelech (King David). How could I not accompany them?"
But why would a simple water carrier, be accompanied to his grave by David haMelech and so many angels singing Tehillim? thought the young chacham. What was so special about him? That night, he prayed to Hashem to reveal to him the secret of the water carrier.
In the middle of that same night, the water carrier came to the young chacham in a dream. "It is true," he explained, "in your world I was, indeed, a very simple man.
I could neither read or write. But, as a child, I learned the entire first Sefer of Tehillim (book of Psalms) by heart. Each day after work, I would recite the entire first Sefer in the bet midrash. I could say it slowly with very deep feelings. That is why I merited such a special honor. David haMelech who wrote the Tehillim came to my funeral with the angels that I created through my daily reading of Tehillim."
The young chacham learned a very important lesson – the power of prayer, even for a very simple man.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
Courtesy of Shalom Counseling
