There once was a poor couple who were farmers, and they had a daughter they loved very much. One day, raiders came and wrecked their home and field. In all of the confusion, the little girl was lost. Her parents searched for her but sadly could not find her.
One day a wealthy merchant was traveling along the road when he met the young girl. She was sad and lost, and her eyes were red with tears, the merchant felt bad for her and invited her to come to his home. The merchant’s wife had always wanted a daughter.
The merchant and his wife raised the young girl with their son. They grew very close and, after some time, fell in love. The merchant did not consider the young girl as an appropriate match for his son, for she had no wealth, no education, and no family.
The wealthy merchant wanted to separate the young girl from his son and sent her to live as a servant to a hermit who lived deep in the forest. The hermit was a holy man who studied the Holy Books. He knew the revealed and hidden secrets of the Torah (Scriptures).
As time went by, the son of the wealthy merchant was betrothed to marry a girl chosen by his father. The news spread throughout the country about the wedding.
The news arrived at the hermit’s house deep in the forest, and the young girl asked them to wait so she could prepare a gift for the wealthy merchant’s son and his bride. She amazed the messengers by having the oven light itself. Then she reached into the fiery oven and took out a beautiful cake as a wedding gift. The messengers returned to the home of the wealthy merchant with the cake and word of the remarkable talent of the girl who lived with the hermit.
The intended bride, upon hearing about the young girl from the astonished messengers, claimed she was much more talented. She set out to prove herself better, but the poor girl was badly burnt by the flames of the oven.
In shame, she left the wealthy merchant’s home. In a short time, another match was made for the wealthy merchant’s son. The messengers returned from the hermit with a gift of golden fried fish, which they said the girl merely reached into the pot and pulled out the crispy fish. The proposed bride boasted how she was a master of the kitchen and was much better than a lowly orphan girl. She set a pot on the stove and plunged her fingers into the boiling oil to take out the fried fish and badly burned her fingers. Out of shame, she ran away.
The merchant’s son remembered the girl his father had brought into the home some years before, and his heart yearned for her. He stopped eating and took to his bed as he was sick to his heart. The merchant, afraid for the health of his son, visited the hermit and the girl to ask her to nurse his son back to health.
The hermit asked the merchant to allow the girl to marry his son, for the hermit knew many revealed and hidden holy secrets. The merchant replied that she was a poor orphan, not worthy of his son. The hermit reminded the merchant, “A woman of valor who can find? For her value is far more valuable than rubies, and the heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no gain in fortune.” (Proverbs 31: 10-11)
The wealthy merchant responded,” She has no family, no wealth, and no education. She is not fit for my son.”
The hermit looked at the wealthy merchant and answered, “She is ‘a woman of great refinement and beautiful in appearance.’ (Susanna 1:31) Do you not realize that ‘No other woman from one end of the earth to the other looks so beautiful or speaks so wisely’ (Judith 11:21) Take her into your house and let her nurse your son back to health. Let them be wed, for this is the will of Heaven.”
The girl went to the wealthy man’s home and prepared a wondrous soup of barley, onions, mushrooms, and fine herbs to feed to the merchant’s son. Every day she sat by his side and spoke to him. After many days, the young man rose from his sick bed and told his father that “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the lesson of loving-kindness is upon her tongue.” (Proverbs 31: 26)
They were wed, and the wealthy merchant learned a most important lesson. “A woman’s beauty lights up a man’s face, and there is nothing he desires more.” (Ecclesiasticus 36:27) And they lived and shared many years of happiness.
Mushroom Barley Soup
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil |
1 to 2 pounds fresh mushrooms, slicedr |
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2 medium yellow onions |
3 medium carrots, sliced into 1 inch rounds |
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2 to 3 medium potatoes, diced |
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced |
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3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley |
1 bay leaf |
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8 cups broth or water |
Salt and pepper to taste |
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1 cup pearl barley, rinsed |
1 tablespoon sweet paprika |
In a large heavy pot heat the oil over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the parsley.
Add the broth, barley, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and paprika.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the barley is tender, about 1-2 hours.
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)
