Rabbi Beroka Choza’a was often found in the market of Bei Lefet, and Eliyahu haNovi (Elijah the Prophet) would often appear to him. Once Rabbi Beroka asked Elijah, “Of all the people who come here, is there anyone in this market worthy of the World-to-Come?” Eliyahu haNovi answered him, “No.” In the meantime, Rabbi Beroka saw a man who was wearing black shoes, very different to the Jewish custom, and who did not place the sky-blue, dyed thread of ritual fringes on his garment. Elijah said to Rabbi Beroka, “That man is worthy of the World-to-Come.”
Rabbi Beroka ran after the man and said to him, “What is your occupation?” The man answered him, “Go away now, as I have no time, but come back tomorrow and we will talk.” The next day, Rabbi Beroka arrived and again asked the man, “What is your occupation?” The man responded, “I am a prison guard, and it is my practice to imprison the men separately and the women separately. At night I set my bed between the men and the women, and I guard them all night long, so that they will not come to transgression. When a Jewish woman is imprisoned with me, I try to keep watch over her and to save her. On one occasion a Jewish woman was brought to prison who was married. I saw that some of the prisoners thought to act improperly with her. So, I took a measure of yeast and dregs of red wine and threw them on the lower part of her dress and told her, ‘Daughter, tell any man who approaches you that it is your time.’ She did so and she was saved, for no man approached her.”
Rabbi Beroka said to him, “What is the reason that you do not have threads of ritual fringes, and why do you wear black shoes? The man said to him: Since I come and go among the people of power, I dress this way so that they will not know that I am Jewish. When they issue an evil decree, I inform the Sages and community leaders, and they pray for mercy to annul the evil decree.” Rabbi Beroka further asked, “And what is the reason that when I said to you: What is your occupation, you said to me, ‘Go away now but come tomorrow?’” The man replied, “At that moment, they had just issued an evil decree, and I said to myself: First I must go and inform the Sages and community leaders, so that they will pray for mercy over this matter.
In the meantime, two brothers came to the marketplace. Eliyahu haNovi noted to Rabbi Beroka, “These two also have a share in the World-to-Come.” Rabbi Beroka went over to the men and asked them, “What is your occupation?” They answered, “We are jesters, and we cheer up the sad and depressed. Alternatively, when we see two people who have a quarrel between them, we try to make peace.” It is said that for this behavior one enjoys the rewards of his actions in this world, and yet his reward is not diminished in the World-to-Come.
Based on Ta’anis 22a
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)
