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Once there was an adolescent camel that would pose questions to its mother incessantly, as all children naturally do.

“Mother, why do we have a hump perched on our backs?”

Mother replied, “My child, these humps prevent hunger and thirst as we trek through on long journeys through the dry desert. We store rations of water inside our humps to quench our thirst.”

“But mother, why do we have long eye-lashes?”

“Oh, son, those are to keep the sand in the desert from ruining our eyes during sandstorms. This protection allows us to continue traveling.”

“And what about our awkwardly-shaped feet?”

“Aha! They support our legs from sinking into the soft sand. This enables us to walk more easily and quickly.”

Finally, frustrated and confused, the young camel cried out, “So what are we doing in the Bronx Zoo?!”

By Pesach and Chana Burston
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Discussion (2)
January 26, 2006
A young Jewish child asked his mother: why do parents have to go to work?

She replied: that is in order for us to be able to have what to eat and where to sleep.

He then asked: why do we have to eat?

She replied: thats in order to live.

He asked: why do we have to sleep?

She answered: that too is in order to live.

His father entered the room, and the child asked both his parents: why do we have to live?

They both replied, almost as one: that is something you have to ask G-d.

The boy thought for a moment and asked: did you ever ask Him, and what did He answer?

The mother replied, and the father agreed: we have, though not recently. We didnt understand the answer.

The boy thought for a moment and said: maybe if we ask together, then He would reply?

They all agreed.

(And then Moshiach came)
Anonymous
chabadrt.org
January 26, 2006
Confused Camel
This adorable story made me think about how Jews have conserved and preserved their means of survival (Torah and mitzvos, as well as Jewish cultures) even when they live in galus.

It may not be obvious what these are for while we're in the Bronx Zoo, but it becomes clear if you think about what we were created for!

Thanks,

Ruth
Ruth Mastron
Oceanside, CA
jewishoceanside.com
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