The holy rabbi of the city would prepare for Shabbos all week long. For him Shabbos was the most important time, so much so that it was all he thought about. If a woman came to him asking if a chicken was kosher, he’d answer, “It’s good for Shabbos.” If a young student would ask why the letter shin has three points, the holy rabbi would explain, “If we look at the letter shin we are reminded the element of fire – the Shabbos lights, the element or air – the Shabbos berachahs (blessings) and zimiros (songs), and the element of water –the Shabbos wine.”

For the holy rabbi everything was Shabbos. As the sun slowly set and the time for licht bentch’n (kindling the Shabbos lights), at that very second his wife kindled lights for Shabbos, the world changed. With her gentle gestures and heartfelt prayer, she invited the holiness of Shabbos into the house.

Tzviki Moyz was a simple Jewish tailor who was very quiet and did not speak very much. He would wander into the old wooden shul other would notice that he could hardly pray without making mistakes. One erev Shabbos he entered the old wooden shul and the people could hardly recognize him. He was full of joy. The spirit Shabbos was burning in his heart. A special holiness was upon him. The people in the shul asked him what had made this sudden change in him. Tzviki Moyz explained:

Everyone knows that I was very poor. Everyday was a struggle just to feed his family and keep a roof above their heads. One day my wife and I realized that if we continued this way all our lives, what will be with our children. They also would not have enough to live on. For five years, we decided to not buy anything extra. We saved over 500 rubles and hoped to buy a business. Possible we would be successful.

And so for five years, every coin they saved was hard, finally we saved more than 500 rubles. I came into the city for a business to buy. I searched all day for a good opportunity and the time slipped away, when I realized that Shabbos was only one hour away. I went to the house of the holy rabbi and told him of my situation, and asked him to guard the money until after Shabbos. The holy rabbi asked me to be his guest for Shabbos.

Tzviki Moyz and the holy rabbi were talking, when the door opened and a woman came in crying. Her husband was supposedly the richest man in city. He died recently, and his wife only then realized that he not only did not have a lot of money, but he actually owed a lot of money to other people. The wedding of her daughter was supposed to take place right after Shabbos and she needed to pay 500 rubles for the wedding. If she could not pay the money before the wedding, she would have to tell them that she was poor. It would be such an embarrassment. Who knew if the groom’s parents wouldn’t call off the wedding? She said, “I’m sorry I didn’t come before, but I couldn’t because I was too embarrassed.”

The holy rabbi said, “Oy! What will I do now? How can I collect 500 rubles only minutes before Shabbos!”

I heard all this and said, “Please give her my 500 rubles. I am still young, I can save again.” The holy rabbi argued with me, but matter what he said I decided to give my money to the widow. She left full of joy.

Now, open your hearts. The holy rabbi said, “Tzviki Moyz, I don’t even have to bless you that you should become wealthier than you ever dreamed of, because it’s obvious that you will. It’s also obvious that you will live to see the weddings of your great-great grandchildren. But there is one thing I would like to bless you with. Because of you, two precious souls had a wonderful Shabbos. What would this poor widow and her daughter have done all Shabbos? They would have cried all Shabbos. You gave Shabbos to two precious souls, so I want to bless you that you should have the blessings of Shabbos all your life.

Within a month, I became very wealthy. I really don’t know how it happened. I knew that the wealth I had was because of Shabbos and so every week I gave money to the holy rabbi to help others on Shabbos. There was one condition; no one was to know where the Shabbos gelt came from.

I bless you with the bliss of Shabbos.

How can we receive the bliss of Shabbos? How can we take all the anger and pain out of your heart, and really be able to taste Paradise? We have to first give Shabbos to someone who doesn’t have it.

Why do we have to invite guests for Shabbos? Because if I want to have the bliss of Shabbos, I have to first give Shabbos to someone who doesn’t have it.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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