By Rabbi S.Y. Zevin
 | The young prodigy overheard the exchange between the rabbi and the wagon
driver. He could scarcely believe his ears. A pound of candles to atone for violating the holy Shabbat?
7 Comments Posted
it is soooooooooooooooooo awesome!!!!!!
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Your article made me realize once again that it is the great and holy ones who sympathize and empathisize with the simple, downtrodden ones. no negative judgementalisim there.... too much love for that to happen....
thank you for the reminder
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Beautiful story. Thank you!
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An excellent parable to remind some who are self-righteous that following the spirit of the Law is superior to following the letter of the Law inflexibly, without compassion & empathy for others' travails.
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This amazing story suggests to me that it was the sin of Rabbi Michel that was the source of the continued problems for the simple Jew. Is there any Chassidic teaching on how sin is interconnected in community?
It seems that if one does not acknowlege the repentance and forgiveness of another, then the whole community will bear the weight of that sin. There were no Shabbat candles, no light for the whole synagogue as long as Rabbi Michel's heart was harden against the wagon driver.
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bh
Years ago I left work at 2 p.m as a snow storm was just starting on a New England Friday afternoon. I thought that surely 2 1/2 hours would be sufficient for me to get home before candle-lighting I was wrong.
The traffic had slowed to a mere crawl, and by the time I got into Worcester, it was already Shabbat. I was crying hysterically behind the wheel, screaming at the car in front of me to MOVE! It wasn't THAT slippery, I felt, and he was making me ever later!
When I sheepishly pulled into my synagogue's parking lot and entered the sanctuary, they were starting maariv. I was broken-hearted that I had broken Shabbos.
At the end of the davening, I stood at the back of the men's section and motioned to the rabbi that I had to speak with him. Instead of immediately starting his class, he came over, and I told him my tale of woe, my face streaked with tears.
"Just be more careful planning your time, and I'm sure G-d will forgive you."
I smiled and walked home, relieved.
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