Let them wash their clothes. (Exodus 19:10)

Once, two women came to the holy rabbi of the village with a dispute. Both had washed and hung out their underclothing to dry, and someone had stolen one of the washes. Each claimed that the other’s laundry had been stolen. For the desperately poor people of the time, too lose clothing was a major tragedy.

The holy rabbi ordered that the remaining wash be brought to him. He then had the two women leave temporarily and asked his wife to add some of her own laundry to the pile. He then called one of the women back and asked her, “Do you recognize your laundry?” She began sorting the clothes. “This is mine. This isn’t… ” she said.

The holy rabbi then ordered that the clothes be mixed up again and called the other woman in. “Do you recognize your wash?” he asked her. She began going through the pile: “This is mine, and this, and this … all are mine,” she said.

“Are you sure that all are yours?” asked the Rabbi. “Yes,” she said decisively, “everything here is mine.”

“You are a liar,” The holy rabbi told her, “and the laundry belongs to the other woman.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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