36 Candles by Libi Astaire

Author:Libi Astaire
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: hanukkah, Jewish holidays, Hasidic stories, Chanukah, Hasidism, Jewish spirtuality, Jewish short stories, Jewish legends
Publisher: Aster Press
Published: 2019-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

17. A Promise for Life

“Where is my goblet?! Why didn’t the Rebbe make Kiddush with my goblet? He promised!”

The assistant of Rabbi Chaim of Sanz lay in his bed, too terrified to move. A part of him was saying, “Don’t be so frightened. It’s just a dream.” But the part of him that was in the dream—the part of him that was being roughly shaken by the desperate chassid—was terrified, and with good reason. The chassid who had disturbed his sleep was dead.

As soon as it was light the assistant raced to the Rebbe’s home. Rabbi Chaim was already up and seated at his desk.

“Rebbe, I had a dream, a terrifying dream,” he blurted out.

“I know,” replied Rabbi Chaim. “He came to me, too. We will redeem the goblet as soon as we can.”

Rabbi Chaim was true to his word. As soon as he had the money he sent one of his children, a boy named David, to the pawnshop to redeem the cup. On the following Shabbos the goblet once again sat at the head of the table, in its accustomed place of honor. When it was time to make Kiddush, Rabbi Chaim filled the cup with wine, lifted it, and solemnly intoned the blessings that sanctified the holy day. The Rebbe’s family, who were gathered around the table, understood that there would be no more pawning of the cup when funds ran low, no matter how pressing the need.

What was so special about the goblet? And who was the chassid who had come back from the dead to champion the honor of the pawned cup? To answer those questions, we must go back to an earlier time—a time when the chassid was still among the living.

This chassid and his wife had never been blessed with children. When they reached old age, their childless state weighed heavily upon them. They knew that they would soon leave this world for the World to Come. Without descendants, their memory would quickly be forgotten; there would be no one to donate money to charity or learn Torah in their name, and thereby elevate their souls. Without children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, how could they retain a connection with the world of the living, the world of Torah and mitzvos?

“I have an idea,” the chassid said to his wife. “I will buy a beautiful Kiddush cup and present it to the Sanzer Rebbe. I will ask the Rebbe to have us in mind when he makes Kiddush on Shabbos and Yom Tov (holidays).”

And so the chassid made a search for the most beautiful goblet he could find. He knew his search was over when he spotted a magnificent cup that was crafted from pure gold. This was a goblet that even the wealthiest of men would treasure. Surely the Rebbe would think kindly upon the childless couple who had given him such a valuable gift.

But when it came time to present his gift to the Sanzer Rebbe, the chassid wasn’t thinking about the cup’s exquisite craftsmanship or its cost.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.