Once, there lived a young couple named Ora Chaya and Avigdor. Avigdor was a peddler. Six days a week he would travel on foot from town to town, selling his merchandise. Ora Chaya stayed home and looked after their little cottage. On market days, she would go into town and sell vegetables from their garden. But on Friday afternoon, no matter how far he had traveled, no matter how little he had sold, Avigdor always made his way home, so that he and Ora Chaya could be together to celebrate Shabbos – the holy Sabbath Day.
As the sun inched down, Ora Chaya would recite the blessing and kindle the Shabbos candles. Together, they would welcome the Shabbos Kallah (Sabbath Bride) into their humble home, singing:
“Lecha dodi, likras kaloh penei shabbos nekabeloh… Boi vesholom ateres ba-alah, gam besimchoh uv’tzoholoh toch emunei am seguloh, boi kalah, boi, kalah; toch emunei am segulah, boi chalah, boi chalah.”
Come, my Beloved, to meet the Bride; let us welcome the Shabbos… Come in peace, O crown of her Husband, both with songs and gladness; among the faithful, the beloved people, come, O Bride, come, O Bride.
In the glowing light, they would bless each other in the ancient words:
May the L-rd bless you and keep you;
May the L-rd make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; and
May the L-rd turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24)
Avigdor would then sing the ancient tribute to his wife:
Eishes chayil mi yimtza ve-rachok mi-peninim michrah
Batach bah leiv ba’alah ve-shalal lo yech’sar…
Piha pas’echah ve-chachma ve-soras chesed al leshona.
Tzofiyah halichos beisa ve-lechem atzlus lo socheil.
A woman of valor, who can find? Far her value is far above that of rubies. Her husband’s heart trusts in her and he shall lack no fortune… She opens her mouth with wisdom and a lesson of kindness is on her tongue. She looks after the conduct of her household and never tastes the bread of laziness. (Proverbs 31: 10-11, 26-27)
Only then would Avigdor recite the Kiddush over the wine, recalling the Seventh Day, the Creation of the World and how G-d blessed it. Only then would they break open the warm challah that Ora Chaya had baked. They would join hands across the wooden table, smiling at each other, they knew that no matter how hard life might be, they would always have this holy day to share for all their years together.
Often on a Friday afternoon, Ora Chaya would see Avigdor walking down the road with a friend, or some poor stranger who had nowhere to go for Shabbos. “We may be poor,” they would say to each other, “but we always have enough to welcome travelers or people in need to our home. There is always enough flour for the challah. There are always enough coins to buy the wine and the candles. We always have enough to welcome the Shabbos Kallah to our home. “
One year, the winter was colder than usual. A heavy snow had fallen, and for weeks the roads were covered with high drifts. Then the snow melted, and the mud made the roads impassable. It was hard for Avigdor to go on his usual rounds. Ora Chaya too, could not make her way to the marketplace. Little by little, the money they had saved for hard times had to be spent, until one week, they had almost nothing left. Finally, the roads began to dry. A warm and gentle spring sunlight began to shine on the frozen hills and valleys, and one day, old Avigdor threw his sack on his shoulder and set off to earn what he could for the week.
Ora Chaya bent over their patch of land and began to weed and hoe for the spring planting. On Friday morning, she set off for town to buy what little she could with their last coin. On the way, she met the town melamed (schoolteacher). He stopped her and said, “Good morning, Froy Ora Chaya. Over the winter, many of our books were damaged by the cold and melting frost. Could you give something for their repair?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Ora Chaya dropped her last coin into the melamed’s outstretched hand — for what could be more important than the learning of children?
Then she turned and made her way home. Surely, she thought to herself, there will be enough at home for our Sabbath meal. Sadly, when Ora Chaya reached home, there was little to be found. She searched in every corner. High up in the cupboard, she found an old bottle of wine, and two white candles. But search though she might, she could not find a speck of flour anywhere in the house. Soon Avigdor would be coming home, and there would be no challah in the house for the Sabbath! Never before had such a thing happened to them. Ora Chaya thought of running to a neighbor, but it was too late. In all the time she had spent in her search, the sun had been setting. It was almost sunset and she saw Avigdor coming up the road and with him was a guest. He must have met some poor traveler on his way, and now, she had nothing to offer them. No food had been prepared, and there was no challah!
Quickly, Ora Chaya set the table for three. She set the candlesticks in the middle, along with the Kiddush cup and the bottle of wine. The challah plate sat on the table. Oh, how empty it looked! Ora Chaya said a quick prayer to herself. “Somehow,” she whispered, “Ribbono shel olam (Master of the Universe) will provide.” Right outside the doorway, she spied two round stones. In a flash, Ora Chaya picked them up and put them on the challah plate, covering them with the embroidered cloth they always used. At least when Avigdor and their guest entered, it would feel like Shabbos!
Avigdor opened the door. With him was an old woman, her head covered with a broad kerchief. “See Ora Chayaleh, this poor woman was lost on the road. I have brought her here to spend the Sabbath with us.” Ora Chaya could not speak. She could not bring herself to tell Avigdor the truth: that their one pride and joy, their lovely Sabbath ceremony, would be flawed and lacking. She closed her eyes and recited the blessing over the candles. They sang the ancient prayers to each other and welcomed in the Sabbath Queen. Avigdor recited the Kiddush. All the while, their guest, the old woman, sat with her head down, not speaking a word, only whispering “Amen” after each blessing.
Then Avigdor reached out his hand to uncover the challah loaves. Filled with shame, Ora Chaya put one hand over her mouth and reached out to stop him. “No Avigdor! They are only — ” when, quick as the wind, the old woman lifted off the cover herself. And there, on the plate, sat two golden, sweet-smelling loaves of challah, warm and shining on the table.
Ora Chaya stammered, “But, they were only stones, just a moment ago!”
The old woman let her kerchief fall. As she raised her eyes, she seemed to grow taller and younger. Avigdor and Ora Chaya stared at her in awe. Her hair shone brighter than the light from any candles, and a garland of flowers wreathed her head. It was the Shabbos Kallah, the Sabbath Queen herself, who had come to visit them!
She spoke to them, and her voice was sweet as a nightingale’s singing in the morning. “How often have you welcomed me into your house, with joy and gladness. Each Sabbath, you bless each other and the Creator of the World with love and peace in your hearts. How often have I longed to reward your faithfulness, and your kindness to others. Now I have a blessing for you:
May the Holy One, blessed be He watch over you both and keep you well, to perform many mitzvos (religious deeds). And when your days on earth have ended, may you celebrate Shabbos, together in Gan Eden (Garden of Eden, paradise), for all time to come.” And with that, she touched their bowed heads, waved her hands once over the candles, and vanished into the spring night.
Avigdor and Ora Chaya clasped their hands together. As they stood across from each other, gazing at one another in wonder, it seemed that the light of a thousand stars shone in each other’s eyes, and the peace of Shabbos surrounded them.
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)