In a certain city lived an very wealthy merchant who sold a lot of goods to the merchants living near his home town.
When it was time for the fair to be held, the merchant let everyone know that he wanted to travel to the fair so he could buy new and outstanding goods. For that reason the wealthy merchant urged all who owed him money to come and pay their debts.
Among those who owed him money was a merchant whose home had unfortunately burned down. All of his property had been consumed in the flames as well, leaving him penniless.
He was utterly distressed and ashamed at the thought of having to face the wealthy man. “How can I have the nerve to come before him empty-handed?” he asked.
“Just go to him and tell him the truth. There is nothing better than that!” advised his friends.
The merchant listened their advice and set out to see the wealthy man.
Sitting in the wealthy man’s waiting room, the poor merchant was unable to control himself and began to cry bitterly. The sound of the crying touched the wealthy man’s heart, and he asked to know why the poor man was crying. Soon after, the merchant’ s sad story was told to him.
The wealthy man felt pity for the unfortunate merchant; when the man was brought in to him he embraced him and and lovingly explained:
“Do not feel the least bit distressed. I hereby completely forgive you of your debt.” He then tore the bill of debt into shreds.
The merchant abundantly thanked the wealthy man and went on his way. The matter soon became known to the members of the community and. eventually spread to the public at large as well.
Among those who heard about it was a crook who decided to swindle the wealthy man.
He traveled to the wealthy man’s home, and upon taking a seat in the waiting room, began to wail loudly.
“What are you crying about?” shouted the wealthy man.
“I desperately need two thousand rubles,” he cried. “I beg of you, please give me the entire sum.”
“I am very sorry,” answered the wealthy man, “but I am simply unable to give you such a large amount of money.”
“But you forgave the other merchant from a debt of an equal amount,” insisted the disappointed crook.
“You fool,” said the wealthy man. “That individual owed me a great deal of money, and I knew that he did not have a penny to his name with which to repay me — what would I have gained had I not absolved his debt? Will I get my money back? That is why I forgave his debt. But as for you, I have absolutely no business with you – why should I acquiesce to giving you a sum of two thousand rubles? Should I give it to you simply because you are crying?”
The prayer, Unsaneh Tokef, speaks of many dire situations one may face during the year but concludes with the verse:
“But Repentance, Prayer and Tzedakah (charity) avert the severe decree.”
When a person repents honestly, he regrets his misdeeds, and cries to the Holy One, blessed be He that He forgive him for his sins — G-d immediately forgives him. But if a foolish individual thinks to himself, “I will sin, repent, sin again, repent once again, and even cry over my sins afterwards” — his repentance will not be accepted!
May you all be inscribed and sealed for a good year in the Book of Life
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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