Shalom Aleichem and Eishes Chayil had already been sung. The lights from the Shabbos candles reflected softly in the dark wine in the Kiddush cup. A hush settled over the room as everyone moved around the Shabbos table to hear kiddush. Avraham the Miller took a deep breath and . . . fell asleep in his seat.

“Taty! Taty! Father! Father!” the family called….No response. Chana Sorah put her hand on her husband’s shoulder and shook him, but that didn’t help either. “Wake up! Wake up!” the children encouraged. Everyone thought he had fainted and began to worry. Someone ran to get the doctor.

The doctor found it difficult to wake him from his deep sleep and could not understand what had happened to him. He suggested to let Avraham sleep it off. Someone else would have to make kiddush.

Avraham the Miller didn’t wake up till morning. He was embarrassed to hear what had happened. He fell into a deep sleep the next Friday night and it happened again. It seemed that every week as everyone was waiting for Kiddush Friday night, Avraham fell asleep.

After several weeks, Avraham the Miller cried, “What is happening to me? How can I not say Kiddush? Something is very wrong.” He was sad and embarrassed and was determined to He rose from his chair, where he had fallen asleep at the Shabbos table in front of the Kiddush cup and sadly told his wife, Chana Sorah, “I don’t understand what is happening? Nothing helps! I can’t go on like this. After Shabbos I’m going to the holy rabbi!”

The next day he went to the old wooden shul (synagogue), and told the whole story to the holy rabbi. He cried as he asked to be cured so that he could enjoy Shabbos, they Day of Rest as he had done in the past.

The holy rabbi listened and then said, “It seems, that you have somehow violated Shabbos, which is why you are being prevented from honoring her.”

Avraham the Miller became even more upset. “I don’t understand. I’m so careful with the laws of Shabbos. Violating Shabbos? I can’t imagine how that ever might have happened.”

Sadly, he went home and told his family everything the holy rabbi said. They were shocked. They all knew how careful he was about keeping Shabbos. After listening to his father, one of his older sons spoke up. “Taty (father), I have to tell you that the holy rabbi’s words revealed genuine divine inspiration because, unfortunately, they are true. One Friday night, when I was up late, I saw you get up in the middle of the night. You were obviously still half asleep. I saw you light a candle so you could see your way to get a drink of water, and then you extinguished it when you were finished. The next morning it was clear that you had no recollection of what had happened, and not wanting to shame you or show disrespect, I never said anything. Now that the holy rabbi saw this violation of Shabbos, I realize I am obligated to share what I saw.”

The man immediately went and told the holy rabbi what his son had reported, and the rebbi said, “That’s it. How can a Jewish person allow himself to forget the holiness of Shabbos, under any circumstances? There are two primary obligations towards Shabbos: to ‘remember’ it (Exodus 20:8) and to ‘safeguard’ it (Deuteronomy 5:12), both of which, our sages tell us, were declared by the Almighty ‘in a single utterance.’ ‘Remember’ is accomplished through speech, by expressing the holiness of Shabbos in the words of the kiddush. ‘Safeguard’ is for the mind and heart, to be continually aware of the holiness of Shabbos throughout the entire day, that it not be transgressed. Sadly, you failed to ‘safeguard’ Shabbos, so you have lost the right to ‘remember’ her.”

“Please, rabbi,” sobbed the man, “tell me how to repent. Give me a remedy. Save me from this unbearable affliction!”

“There is nothing I can do for you. The only ‘remedy’ there is for you is if you are challenged by a test in Shabbos observance, and you stand up to it. Then the Shabbos will be appeased of your insult.”

These final words made the miller feel a little better. He trusted the holy rabbi, and resolved to stand up to the trial, no matter what it might be.

Not long after a summons came from his poritz, the nobleman from whom he leased his mill in exchange for an annual rent and a percentage of its income. The latter informed him that he planned to greatly expand the flour mill’s capacity, and that in order to recoup the large amount of money that he would have to invest, it would be necessary for the mill to operate on Saturdays as well, starting now.

“That’s impossible,” the Jewish miller declared firmly. “I only work six days, never on Shabbos.

“Oh, come on,” said the nobleman, “I know that you can get around it if you want to. I heard that a rabbi can make some kind of contract where you can stay home, but the mill stays open and I don’t lose the income.”

“I’ve never employed such a leniency in relation to Shabbos, and I never will,” the miller firmly declared.

The nobleman raised his voice. “Stubborn fool! I’ll give you the two months it will take to complete the renovations to start to operate the mill on Saturday. If you don’t, I’ll throw you out.”

The poritz carried out his threat, and evicted the miller. Without any income, he and his family soon fell on to hard times. Even basic food for the children became hard to supply. What’s more, his “Shabbos disease” still afflicted him. Even though things were difficult, he persisted in his determination not to fail the Shabbos again.

Meanwhile, the mill’s owner had completed the expansion of the mill, and had found a manager who was willing to work a seven-day week. But right from the start it didn’t work out. Unusual accidents kept occurring, and all sorts of problems arose. Huge losses piled up. The situation was bizarre, and everyone realized it.

The nobleman was forced to admit to himself that his problems must be connected to his having ruined the livelihood of the Jewish miller. So he sent for his former tenant and, after revealing the mill’s desperate situation, offered to lease it to him as before.

“And what about my Shabbos?” the Jewish miller asked.

“Look,” he answered, “after all the unusual problems and sharp losses, I realize that G d is with you. Do however you see fit.”

So the Jewish miller returned to the mill, and was soon blessed with more success than he had ever had. Also, his affliction disappeared at the same time, just as the holy rabbi had said. But even with his new wealth, reciting kiddush on Shabbat night remained his greatest pleasure.

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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