Story No. 31
Not an example
The Rabbi Elimelekh had delivered a wonderful sermon and now he was returning to his native land. To honour him and to show their gratitude, the faithful decided to follow Elimelekh's carriage out of the city. At one point, the Rabbi stopped the carriage and asked the driver to go ahead without him while he joined the people. 'A fine example of humility,' said one of the men beside him. 'Humility has nothing to do withit, just a little intelligence,' replied Elimelekh. 'You're all out here having a walk, singing, drinking wine, chatting with each other, making new friends, and all because of an old Rabbi who came to talk to you about the art of living. So let's leave my theories in the carriage, I want to enjoy the party.'
Story No. 32
Praying for everyone
A farm labourer with a sick wife, asked a Buddhist monk to say a series of prayers. The priest began to pray, asking God to cure all those who were ill. 'Just a moment,' said the farm labourer. 'I asked you to pray for my wife and there you are praying for everyone who's ill.' 'I'm praying for her too.' 'Yes, but you're praying for everyone. You might end up helping my neighbour, who's also ill, and I don't even like him.' 'You understand nothing about healing,'said the monk, moving off. 'By praying for everyone, I am adding my prayers to those of the millions of people who are also praying for their sick. Added together, those voices reach God and benefit everyone. Separately, they lose their strength and go nowhere.'
Story No. 33
Saadi of Shiraz and prayer
Saadi of Shiraz used to tell the following story: 'When I was a child, I used to pray with my father, my uncles and my cousins. Every night we would gather together to listen toa passage from the Koran. On one such night, while my uncle was reading a passage out loud, I noticed that most of the people were asleep. I said to my father: "Not one of these dozy people is listening to the words of the Prophet. They'll never reach God." And my father replied: "My dear son, look for your own path with faith and let others take care of themselves. Who knows, perhaps they are talking to God in their dreams. Believe me, I would much prefer you to be sleeping alongside them than to
hear your harsh words of judgement and condemnation."'
Story No. 34
The sorrowing father
Rabbi Abraham had lived an exemplary life.When he died, he went straight to Paradise, and the angels welcomed him with songs of praise. Yet Abraham sat alone, head in hands, deeply distressed, refusing all consolation. Finally, he was brought before the Almighty and he heard an infinitely tender voice ask him: 'My beloved servant, what sorrow do you bear in your breast?' 'I am unworthy of the honours being heaped upon me,' replied the Rabbi. 'I was considered an example to my people, but I must have done something very wrong. My one son, on whom I lavished my finest teaching, became a Christian!' 'Oh, don't worry about that,' said the voice of the Almighty. 'I had an only son too and he did exactly the same thing!'
Story No. 35
The sorrowing mother
Roberto Shiniashiky tells of a Jewish mother who tried to bring her son up in the most traditional way possible. The boy, however, had a forceful personality and would only do what his heart told him to do. The mother, just like Rabbi Abraham in the preceding story, went straight to Paradise when she died, for she had been a shining example of devotion here on Earth. When she got there, she told the other mothers about the agonies her son had put her through, and she learned that not one ofthem was satisfied with the paths their children had followed. After days of conversation, during which they voiced their regrets that they had not been strong enough to control their children, the group of women saw Our Lady passing by. 'Now she managed to bring her son up properly,' said one of the mothers. And they all crowded round Our Lady, praising her son Jesus's career. 'He was a wise man,' they said. 'He accomplished all that he was destined to accomplish, he walked the path of truth, never deviating for one moment, and he is still a source of pride to his family.' 'Yes, you're quite right,' said Our Lady, 'but to be perfectly honest, I wanted him to be a doctor.'
Continued...