The Holy One, Blessed be He, seeks the heart, and the measure of greatness is devotion of the heart…, as it is written, “But the Lord looks on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).
Sanhedrin 106b
Feiga Sarah was a cheerful little girl with curly reddish-brown hair and bright green eyes. She was just about 5 years old.
As she was waiting with her mother at the checkout counter, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
“Oh please, Ima. Can I have them? Please, Ima, please!”
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading green eyes of her little girl’s face.
“A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost two dollars. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get a dollar bill from your bubbie (grandmother).
As soon as Feiga Sarah got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. Applebaum if she could help around her house for ten cents. On her birthday, bubbie did give her a dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Feiga Sarah loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere — on Shabbos, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Feiga Sarah had a very loving Taty (father) and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to tell her the most wonderful stories. One night when he finished the story, he asked Feiga Sarah, “Do you love me?”
“Oh, yes, Taty. You know that I love you.”
“Then give me your pearls.”
“Oh, Taty, not my pearls. You can have Princess — the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Taty? The one you gave me. She’s my favorite.”
“That’s okay, Honey. Taty loves you. Good night.” And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Feiga Sarah’s Taty asked again, “Do you love me?”
“Taty, you know I love you.”
“Then give me your pearls.
“Oh, Taty, not my pearls. You can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper.”
“That’s okay. Sleep well. G-d bless you, little one. Taty loves you.” And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her Taty came in, Feiga Sarah was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
“What is it, Feiga Sarah? What’s the matter?”
Feiga Sarah didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her Taty. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl neck¬lace. With a little quiver, she finally said, “Here, Taty. It’s for you.”
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Feiga Sarah’s kind Taty reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Feiga Sarah. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store junk so he could give her gen¬uine treasure.
Everything is called love and everything is established for the sake of love (Zohar, Vaeschanan 267b)….In love is found the secret of divine unity (Zohar, Shemos 216a).
May all you be blessed and surrounded by loving friends and family
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)