Once there was a religious man who while clearing his field found a hidden underground room which was closed by a fine and handsome piece of marble. He took the stone and brought it into his house in order to use it.

One day the stone said to him: “If you take me from this place and clean me and polish me and place me in a clean spot within your house, I shall tell you how you can get a lot of money.” So what did the man do? He took the stone and placed it in a clean spot within his house. Then the stone said to him: “Go to the place that I tell you and there you will find your friend who is bringing his donkeys with him loaded with gold and silver. On the way there is a big pit into which he will fall. If you go out to meet him and help him, and he will give you a handsome amount of money.”

The man went to the place of which the stone had told him. There he found his friend in the pit, he helped him out, and his friend gave him a lot money, and the man returned home very cheerfully with the money. On the third day the stone called the man and said to him: “If you light one candle before me, I shall give you much more money than that.”

When the man heard this, he realized that the stone must be a demon that wished to lead him astray. He took his hammer and was about to smash the stone, but a demon came out of it and said to him: “If you do not smash this stone, I shall give you wealth beyond measure.” “Even if you were to give me all the money in the world,” answered the man, “I shall not rest until I smash this stone.”

When the demon saw that the man was G-d-fearing and would not accept his offer, he fled, and the man smashed the stone. And the Holy One, blessed be He gave him his reward. When he dug in his field a year later, he found a great treasure there.

When the sages heard this, they said: “He fulfills the wishes of those who fear Him” (Psalm 145:19).

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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