The King Alone

A parable of the Baal Shem Tov, of a king who on a day of joy proclaimed that anyone who would ask anything of him would be granted his request.

Some requested power and honor, others wealth and riches. To each the king gave according to his request.

Until there was one wise person who stated that his desire was nothing more than to speak with the king personally three times a day.

The king was very pleased with this request, seeing that this person cherished the king's conversation more than wealth and honor. Therefore, he granted this request, permitting this wise person entry to the palace to speak with the king and instructed that the treasures be opened to him so that he may partake also of wealth and honor.

And so, David sang in his psalms, "A prayer of a pauper…when he will pour out his dialog before G‑d." The dialog itself, that is his request.

What is the wisdom of this pauper? It is that others chose greatness for themselves, while the pauper chose to stand as a nothingness before the greatness of the king. By doing so, he chose the King Himself, along with all the greatness.