Come remember the ancient words, “It is better to take refuge in the L-rd than to put confidence in mortals” (Psalm 118:8), and listen to a story of how we need to trust in the Holy One, blessed be He.
There was once a man named Moussa who worked very hard digging ditches. Each day at work, he saw a shepherd bring his sheep to graze in a nearby field. Moussa noticed something strange, each day one lamb would wander off by itself and never return.
Where do these lambs go and what happened to them? he wondered.
The next day when a lamb wandered off, he went and followed it deeper into the forest. He saw the lamb walk toward a cave and enter. Inside the cave sat an old sick bear that could hardly move. The lamb came up to the bear’s paws, and the bear ate it for his meal.
I understand what must be happening, thought Moussa. The Holy One, Blessed be He wants this old bear to stay alive. Every day, He sends a lamb to the bear to be eaten.
All day Moussa thought about this. If the Holy One, Blessed be He can take care of this bear and keep it fed, surely, if I fully trust in Him, He will also take care of me.
The next morning, instead of going to work, Moussa went to the beit midrash (House of Study) and studied holy books the entire day. Later, he came home with no money, but explained the story of the bear to his wife. “Are you crazy?” she yelled. “We will all starve.”
“Do not fear,” Moussa calmly replied. “He Who takes care of and feeds the bear can also take care of us.”
The next morning, she went to their rabbi and told him her problem. The rabbi went and tried to reason with Moussa, but could not succeed.
The rabbi returned to Moussa’s wife and said, “I will tell you what you now must do. Go and sell all your husband’s tools, and use that money to feed your family.”
She went to a local merchant and sold the tools and even Moussa’s trusted donkey that had accompanied him back and forth from the forest every day. The merchant paid very little as he convinced the woman that the tools and the donkey were not worth much.
The merchant quickly took his new donkey to the path that led through the forest. While walking, he saw something hidden in a crevice next to a tree. He began digging and found a chest filled with gold. What luck, the greedy merchant thought.
On his way home, an old branch collapsed, and hit the merchant on his head, instantly killing him. The donkey, only knowing one direction to walk, continued on his way until he reached his old master’s house. Moussa and his wife saw the donkey, and stared with amazement at the treasure sitting on its back. “Do you now see!” said Moussa. “I told you. He who takes care of and feeds the bear can also take care of us.”
It is better to take refuge in the L-rd than to put confidence in mortals. (Psalm 118:8)
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)
