Mottel the Vassertreyger was a simple man who was not well versed in Torah and didn’t know the meaning of most of his daily prayers, but he always prayed with the minyan (prayer quorum) and was careful to respond to all the prayers repeated by the prayer leader. He never talked about worldly matters in the shul (synagogue), and he always respected and honored Torah scholars and rabbis.
Mottel the Vassertreyger worked hard and managed to make a decent living. He had four steady customers who were wealthy merchants who paid him very well for his services.
One day, maggid (spiritual storyteller) came to the village. The maggid met with many of the village laborers and told them Jewish stories of faith. He would also speak to them about how much the Holy One, blessed be He was pleased with the sincere prayers and simple faith of ordinary Jewish people.
Mottel the Vassertreyger was guiding his wagon with its full barrel of water through the center of town, when he spotted his friend Yankel Tsushtelnvaser along with some other men, gathered around a simply dressed traveler and listening carefully to catch his every word.
His interest sparked, Mottel the Vassertreyger went over to join the circle of listeners. The maggid told a story of a wealthy man who lived in the days when the Beis haMikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem still stood.
“A wealthy man was taking a fattened ox to the Beis haMikdash for a sacrifice. It was a huge animal, and when it decided, for reasons of its own, to stop still in its tracks, nobody was able to convince it to walk further towards their destination. No amount of pushing and prodding could make that animal budge.
“A poor man who was on his way home was watching the scene. In his hand was a bunch of freshly picked greens. These he now held to the muzzle of the ox, and when the animal began to nibble, he drew them away and, in this way, led the animal to its destination at the Holy Beis haMikdash.
“That night the owner of the ox had a dream. In his dream he heard a voice which called out, ‘The sacrifice of the poor man, who gave up the bundle of greens he was bringing to his poor family, was a more desirable sacrifice than your fattened ox.’
“The wealthy man brought a large fattened ox for a burnt-offering. He was so joyful at being able to bring such an animal that he also brought a lamb for a peace-offering and made a huge feast for his family and friends. He also distributed the gifts to the community. His joy was so intense that he held back nothing. The poor man, on the other hand, had only a bunch of greens to bring home for his family. What were his few stalks compared to the fattened animal of the wealthy man?
“Nevertheless,” concluded the maggid, “The Holy One, blessed be He desires the heart. Any mitzvah a person may do, whether great or small, simple or difficult, is judged by how it is performed. A mitzvah done with great joy and purity of heart, is very precious to Hashem. G‑d cries out to the angels, ‘Look at the mitzvah my children have done!’ G‑d, from His place in the heavens, saw that although the wealthy man had offered much, the poor man had offered much more.”
Mottel the Vassertreyger’s mind knew no rest. How he longed to be able to do a mitzvah like the poor man in the story, with pure intention and a joyful overflowing heart! The weeks passed and still Mottel the Vassertreyger knew no peace, as his heart ached with the desire to be able to do such a mitzvah.
One day, as Mottel the Vassertreyger was delivering water to one of his wealthy customers, he had an idea, an idea so perfect that his whole being became flushed with a great sense of pleasure and relief. Mottel the Vassertreyger’s four wealthy customers provided him with half of his livelihood, since they paid him far more than the going rate for a barrel of water. On the other hand, his friend Reb Zalman Dov supplied the town’s four shuls (synagogues), which paid him half-price for their water. “I can exchange four of my customers for four of his,” thought Mottel the Vassertreyger. “Four wealthy homes for four shuls (synagogues).” He was anxious to serve G‑d by providing the water that the people would wash their hands with. Certainly, the mitzvah was of more value than the profits he would give up.
He went home and told his wife about the story he heard from the visiting storyteller, and how doing a mitzvah with joy is like bringing a sacrifice in the Holy Beis haMikdash, even though it no longer stands. His wife readily agreed to the idea, as did Reb Zalman Dov, who sorely needed the extra income. The deal was struck and the exchange of customers was made. No one but Mottel the Vassertreyger and his wife knew what had happened, and they were overjoyed at the prospects for their new “business.” There were days when Mottel the Vassertreyger’s wife went to the river to participate in the mitzvah of drawing the water for the synagogues. As they hauled the water, they would concentrate on the mitzvah of preparing the water for the congregants to wash their hands with before prayers, and their joy was boundless. For they understood that G‑d desires the heart.
Walnut Spinach Salad
Ingredients
8 cups baby spinach, washed and dried |
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar |
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1 to 2 tablespoons sugar |
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped |
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1/2 cup mayonnaise |
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish |
Directions
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In a large bowl, combine spinach with onions and walnuts.
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Place mayonnaise, balsamic and sugar in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times; alternatively, whisk together by hand. Process or whisk until smooth and creamy.
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Pour dressing over salad and toss well to coat. Serve immediately and garnish with freshly ground black pepper
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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)