The largest stable in the village was owned by Ephraim Dov Ber. From morning until nightfall coaches and carriages of all sorts would arrive, wanting to rest or exchange their tired horses for fresh ones. Ephraim Dov Ber was helped in his work by the boy Chaim, an orphan who made his home with Ephraim Dov Ber and his family. Chaim’s parents died while he was very young, and he lived on the streets until Ephraim Dov Ber took him in. In a very short time, they all regarded him as a member of the family. Chaim was especially close to Ephraim Dov Ber’s daughter, Shaina Leah. They were like brother and sister.

Now Chaim worked hard in the stables, side by side with Ephraim Dov Ber. They worked from early in the morning till way after sundown. One day Chaim left the stable early because he was not feeling well. The next day he could not get out of bead, and each day he seemed to grow weaker. Leah stayed by his bed and cared for him, As he slept, she would hold his hand and pray:

Loving and compassionate Healer of All send a complete healing to Chaim ben Sara. Take away his pain and strengthen his body and soul. Please help me help him and may we find peace together,

One day Chaim opened his eyes and saw Leah, He smiled at her and took his last breath. Leah was torn by grief, as was Ephraim Dov Ber and the rest of the family.

When the period of mourning had ended, Leah did not seem to recover from her grief. She had loved the Chaim deeply, and she could not bear the loss. Ephraim Dov Ber and his wife sat at her bedside every day, praying for her recovery. One day, while Ephraim Dov Ber was sitting at her bedside, he fell dozed off and began to dream. In the dream, Chaim appeared before him, his face glowing with peace and happiness.

“Where did you come from?” asked Ephraim Dov Ber, who remembered, even in the dream, that the boy was no longer in this world. “And why are you so happy?”

The boy replied, “Let me tell you all that has happened to me. When I left this world, I was brought before the Heavenly Court. I explained that I did not feel as religious as all the people around me because I only knew a few prayers, for that is all I had been taught. I told the Heavenly Court that I had served you with love, respect and honour as faithfully as I could. So too did I tend the horses with gentleness and care. And I always tried to be honest.

“The court ruled that I had earned a place in the Garden of Eden, and that is where I make my home. It was decreed that because I had tended horses in my earthly life, I was put in charge of the heavenly horses that pull the golden coaches of the tzaddikim (holy ones).”

Then Chaim asked Ephraim Dov Ber about his family. And Ephraim Dov Ber broke into tears and told him how much Leah had grieved over his death, and now she too was in grave danger. Chaim gently said: “Don’t worry. There are leaves growing in the Garden of Eden that can heal any illness. Wait, and I will  bring some to you.” A short time later, the  Chaim brought Ephraim Dov Ber a handful of leaves and instructed him “Boil these in a pot of water and give the tea to Leah to drink.” Ephraim Dov Ber accepted the leaves. No sooner than the leaves were in his hand, he woke up.

Scattered all over the bed were leaves that had blown in from the open window. Ephraim Dov Ber picked them up and saw that those leaves did not grow anywhere in he knew of. So too did they bear a wonderful fragrance, like that in his dream.

Ephraim Dov Ber hurried to boil some of those leaves in water, and he gave it to his daughter to drink. As he did, he told her about his dream, and about the leaves that Chaim had brought her from the Garden of Eden. And when Leah drank that water and learned of that miracle, she began to recover at once—by the third day she was out of bed and walking around.

Soon after that, Leah was betrothed and wed. And she named her first son Chaim, after the stable boy. And it is said that she loved her child as much as she had loved her adopted brother.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more resources for addressing death, mourning and grieving, visit The Chevra Ed Project

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

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