Once there was a Jewish merchant who was very prosperous. He had always enjoyed good health, but one day he suddenly fell sick. He did not know what was wrong with him and even with the different remedies he took, he became worse from day to day. He saw a doctor, who prescribed a certain medicine, but that did not help him either: Finally, he decided to see the greatest doctor in town, who was known as the Specialist, he was known as the greatest doctor in the whole region.

The Specialist gave the patient a very thorough examination, asked him many questions, and then told him he was sorry he could not help him. “Only G-d can help you,” he said gravely.

The poor Jewish merchant was very upset with the doctor’s findings.

Then he remembered hearing that in the nearby small town, there was a holy rabbi who had helped many people. So he set off to visit the holy rabbi, hoping that he could help.

Arriving at the rabbi’s house he found many other Jewish people waiting to see him. Luckily (perhaps because he looked so worried), he was admitted to see the rabbi almost immediately.

When he came into the presence of the holy rabbi, he could not hold back his tears, and poured out his heart describing his desperate condition, begging the rabbi to help him for the sake of his wife and children.

The rabbi replied: “A doctor’s job is to heal, and not to make his patient feel worse. Actually your condition is not at all serious; it is just a kind of fever and will pass.”

Astonished, the Jewish merchant asked, “But rabbi, holy rabbi if it is a fever, shouldn’t I be shivering?”

“So you will shiver,” answered the rabbi, reassuringly.

The Jewish merchant could hardly believe what he had heard and was, of course, overjoyed.

No sooner had he left the holy rabbi than he felt cold, and began to shiver slightly. And, as he continued on his way home, the shivering increased. As soon as he got home, he went straight to bed, feeling hot and cold all over, and shivering without a stop.

He stayed in bed for a few days, then suddenly the shivering stopped. He felt so much better that he was soon able to get out of bed, feeling like a new man!

Some time later, as the Jewish merchant was walking down the street, he came face to face with the Specialist, who recognized him at once. “Aren’t you the patient who came to see me some time ago, critically ill?” the Specialist asked him.

“Yes, sir,” answered the man.

“I am certainly delighted to see you looking so well,” the Specialist continued. “Tell me, my friend, what happened to bring about such an unexpected recovery, and what medicine did you take?”

The Jewish merchant told him that after the Specialist had given him up, he went to see a holy rabbi, who told him that his illness was nothing but a kind of fever.

 Exodus 15:26

“That I also knew,” said the doctor. “But a fever can be extremely dangerous unless it develops into hot and cold shivering. For that is the way the body can rid itself of the sickness. The trouble with you was that you showed no signs of shivering. I knew of no medicine that could bring about such shivering. That is why I told you I could not help you.”

“As a matter of fact, when the rabbi told me I had a fever, I asked him, ‘if I have a fever, would I not be shivering:’, to which he replied, ‘So you will shiver.’ And sure enough, no sooner did I leave the holy rabbi’s presence than I began to shiver, and the shivering steadily increased and became violent. I got into bed and shivered hot and cold for several days. Then, with G-d’s help, I recovered completely from my illness.”

“`With G-d’s help’ you said. Wasn’t that what I also told you, `I cannot help you, only G-d can help you !”‘ the Specialist exclaimed happily.

All smiles, the Specialist and the Jewish merchant shook hands, wishing each other good health.

Added the Specialist: “Some day I hope to see this holy rabbi, but not in a professional capacity. No doubt he can do more for me than I for him.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

Please share this story with family and friends and let us know what you think or feel about the stories in a comment or two. Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

Please share this story with others