It is told that in the days of King David, there was a feast where the main dish was made with hard-boiled eggs.

One of the servants was very hungry and ate the portion that had been given to him before his companions. He felt ashamed because there was no food before him, and he said to the man sitting next to him: “Lend me one.egg.” “I shall lend it to you,” said he, “if you promise before witnesses that you will return it to me within a week, and if you do not repay me by then, you will have to pay me any income that might add up from the egg until the time of the payment.”

The hungry man answered, “I agree,” he was given the egg in the presence of the witnesses. A week went by and the borrowed egg was forgotten and the lender was called away on business. Five years went by and the lender demanded that the debt from the egg be paid.

The man returned an egg, but the lender was unhappy. “All you can claim from me,” said man, “is a single egg.” They appeared before King David and found Solomon sitting in the gateway, for it was the custom of Solomon to be seated in the king’s gateway; and whenever anybody came to the king for judgment he would ask him: “What are you doing before the king?” And the man would say: “This and that is what happened between that fellow and me.” Now when the man who had borrowed from his companion came, Solomon said to him as well: “Why have you come to the king?” And he answered: “This and that is what happened.” “Appear before the king,” said Solomon to him, “and when you return tell me what the king said.”

They appeared before King David. The lender brought witnesses of the condition they had agreed to; namely, that he should pay him whatever profit a man can make from a single egg from that time until the time that the claim was presented. “Go and pay him,” said King David. “I do not know how much,” said he. Then they presented an account to the king: One chick in one year; in the second year that chick can beget up to eighteen chicks; in a third year those eighteen chicks can each produce eighteen chicks, and so in the fourth year—so that the account finally came to a great amount. The man had never dreamed that the one egg he borrowed would create such a huge debt, and get him into such trouble!

The young Solomon met him and said: “What did the king tell you?” “The king,” he answered, “found that I owe this, and that it amounts to a very great sum.” Listen to me,” said Solomon, “and I shall give you good counsel.” “Long life to you,” said he. And Solomon went on: “Go and buy yourself beans and boil them. On such and such day the king wishes to stay at this and that place. Now you stand at the wayside, and when¬ever the king’s men pass before you, you sow the beans in some plowed field by the road. If anybody asks you what you are planting, answer him:

‘I am planting boiled beans.’ And if he asks you whoever saw boiled beans being planted, tell him: ‘Whoever saw a boiled egg from which a chicken came?’ “

The man went at once and did this and stood planting the boiled beans. When the king’s forces passed, they asked him: “What are you planting?” “I am planting boiled beans,” he told them. “And who,” said they, “has ever seen boiled beans growing?” “And who,” answered he, “has ever seen a boiled egg from which a chick came out?” This is what he said to the king’s men, who told the king.

When the king heard this, he said to him: “Who taught you to do so?” “I myself,” said he. But David said to him: “Solomon has been helping you!” “As sure as you live, my lord king,” said the man, “he told me to do this from beginning to end.” Then the king sent for Solomon and said to him: “What do you have to say about this?” And Solomon answered: “How can he owe for something that never came about? The egg he borrowed was boiled and could not produce any chick!” “Then,” said the king, “let him go and pay the other fellow one egg!”

And it is because of this that we find: “To Solomon. 0 God, give Your judgment to the king and Your righteousness to the king’s son” (Ps. 72:1-2).

Egg Salad

1. Slice and dice hard boiled eggs into a large bowl.(for rustic and chunky) or mash with a fork or potato masher (for smoother) egg salad.

2. Mix in chopped onion and chopped celery

3. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, garlic powder and salt to taste.

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)

Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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