It was a small village where everyone knew each other, but the two most notable people in the village were Mordechai haGibor the wealthy merchant and his neighbor Yossele the poor woodsman.
It seemed that Mordechai haGibor was always busy and it seemed that he was angry all the time. His family would gather around the table filled with all types of food every night and argue with each other over every little thing. The things said in anger in that house cannot be repeated for they were terrible indeed.
Yossele worked hard every day and barely made enough to feed his family. Every night when they would gather around the table, so many times it was not enough food, they would talk and sing as they enjoyed their meager meal.
Shabbos would come and the light of the Shabbos candles seemed awfully cold in the home of Mordechai haGibor. He would be demanding, his wife was always angry and his children were noisy and disrespectful.
Yossele’s house seemed always prepared to welcome the holy Shabbos as he and his family would gather around the warm glow of the Shabbos lights on his table. His children would join him and his wife in singing special Shabbos songs and they would share stories and little bits of Torah with each other. Shabbos was always a special time in Yossele’s house.
Every week and every holiday Mordechai haGibor would hear all the joyful sounds coming from Yossele’s house. This would make him angry and many times very sullen.
Rosh Hashanah had passed in the fast of Yom Kippur was behind them as everyone was preparing Succos (Feast of Booths and is also referred to as the Feast of Tabernacles) was quickly approaching.
Mordechai haGibor was determined that he would not be tortured by the sounds coming from Yossele’s house and so he went to everyone in the village and told them not to give him any wood to build his succah and if they did he would see to it that they would lose their livelihoods.
The morning after Yom Kippur, Yossele started going around the village asking people if they had any extra wood they could spare so that he could build his succah. Everyone told him they had nothing to offer. Each day Yossele tried to get the much-needed wood to build his succah but had no luck. The night before Succos Yossele was worried that he would not have a succah built and that his family would be sorely disappointed.
Yossele decided to go for a walk in the cool fall evening in the hopes that at the last minute one of his neighbors would give him some wood to build his succah. Suddenly he had an idea. There were many poor people in the village and death was no stranger. Many people could not afford the fine stone gravestones and would set up wooden markers over the graves of their loved ones. Yossele knew that at the cemetery there was a large pile of blank wooden markers and decided that he would borrow them for his succah and after the holiday return them.
The first night of Succos, Yossele and his family gathered around the table in the succah and welcome the holiday with happiness, songs and comforting words. Mordechai haGibor heard all of this and became very angry. He wondered who would dare give Yossele the wood to build his succah and he was determined to ruin whoever did it.
Mordechai haGibor stormed out of his succah, where his family was arguing over every little thing, and banged on the entry to Yossele’s succah. Yossele seeing his neighbor, invited and him into the succah and offered him some refreshment. Mordechai haGibor was so angry he refused and demanded to know who had given Yossele wood to build his succah. He wanted to know who had the nerve to give him wood after he told everybody not to give Yossele anything.
Yossele did the best he could to calm his neighbor, Mordechai haGibor, and again offered him some refreshment or at least something to drink. Mordechai haGibor again demanded to know where the wood came from, because he was going to ruin whoever gave Yossele the wood.
Yossele took a deep breath and looked at his neighbor and answered the angry question, “please do not ask me this. I would prefer to celebrate Succos with happiness and to make peace with you, my neighbor.” Mordechai haGibor became even more upset and demanded, “who gave you this wood? I know yesterday you did not have a succah so obviously someone felt sorry for you and I want to know who it was!”
Yossele answered, “last night I was walking through the village and as I turned onto the path into the forest I was met by a giant of a man. I asked him where he was going and he told me he was in a rush to get to the village because he had an important job to do. I told him that I understood that with the joyful holiday of Succos coming many people had a lot of preparations to be made, but sadly I would not be able to complete all of my own. I then asked a stranger who he was and he told me he was the Malach haMovis (Angel of Death). I asked him if he could postpone his grim duty until after whoever it was had one last chance to dance with the sifrei Torah on Simchas Torah. The Malach haMovis said no that he must perform his grim duty. I asked him by chance could he tell me who he had come for?”
The Angel of Death was silent for a moment or two and then told me, “I come for Mordechai haGibor and must complete my task before morning.” I thought for a moment and then told the Malach haMovis, “I can save you some time, for you see your trip is unnecessary because Mordechai haGibor is already dead.” The Angel of Death thanked me and asked, “what preparations for the holiday have you not made. Maybe I can help you.” I told the Malach haMovis that I had no wood to build my succah that my family would be sorely disappointed. He looked at me and then just laughed and then said, “I will not be returning to this village until way after Simchas Torah. So why don’t you use the blank wooden grave markers there piled up in the cemetery? Just please remember to return them at the end of the holiday.”
All the blood drained from the face of Mordechai haGibor and he sat down inside of Yossele’s succah. In fact, he had just noticed that indeed all the wood used in the succah had come from the cemetery. Yossele again asked him if he would like something to drink, “just a little bit of tea would be nice if you can spare it.” Mordechai haGibor answered.
Mordechai haGibor looked at Yossele and asked, “you are the poorest of the poor and yet every Shabbos and Yom Tov (holiday) you and your family seem to be the happiest of all people. How is this possible?”
Yossele smiled and answered his neighbor, “because the Holy One, blessed be He provides for everything I need and my family and I are so grateful for all of his gifts.”
A tear fell from Mordechai haGibor’s eye as he talked to his neighbor, “I have so much wealth so much power and yet I am not happy. I cannot find joy in Shabbos nor can I find peace in any of the holidays and yet you with hardly anything sit at your Shabbos and holiday table like nobility.”
“You are right my neighbor, it is as though I am dead because I do not celebrate from my heart. Everything I do is from my pocket. I thank you my neighbor for saving me and teaching me a valuable lesson. For the first time in my life I really understand the words ‘V’ahavta eis Hashem Elokecha, b’chol l’vav’cha, u-v’chol nafsh’cha, u-v’chol m’odecha.’ (And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.) (Deuteronomy 6:5) I had forgotten that everything I have are gifts from haKadosh Baruch Hu, the Holy One, blessed be He and from this time on I will do the best I can to celebrate Shabbos and yom tov (holidays) with happiness. I completely forgot, though I say it every day in the Shema, ‘V’hayu ha-d’va-rim ha-ei-leh, Asher ano-chi mi-tzvaecha ha-yom al li-vavecha.’ (And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart.) (Deuteronomy 6:6) from this day forward I will do the best I can to keep the words of Torah in my heart and not depend upon my pocket for all of my needs.”
Mordechai haGibor broke down and began to cry, “you were right Yossele I was dead, but you have given me hope and a new outlook. Baruch atah Adoshem, m’chayei hameisim.” (Blessed are You L-rd, Who revives the dead.) (part of the daily Shemonah Esrei prayers)
Mordechai haGibor left Yossele’s succah a completely different person. From that day on all that was heard from Mordechai haGibor’s home in Shabbos and yom tov were sounds of song, happiness and words of hope.
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)