An itinerant preacher who did not have sufficient time to
memorize his sermon was on his way to a certain town. In the back of the wagon on a heap of hay,
lay his bag which contained his tallit, tefillin and speech. Stopping at a tavern, he unhitched the horse
and led him to the rear of the wagon so that he could eat some of the hay. The horse chewed up the owner’s bag, which
contained his oration. What was intended
to be food for thought ended up being food for the horse.
What was he to do? The
orator was undeterred. Ascending to the
pulpit he said, “My friends, I do not know what to say. I am a poor man with a wife and five
marriageable daughters. When I was coming
to your town I had a fine sermon. But a
great misfortune has befallen me. The
horse – yes, the horse that carried me to instruct you and enlighten you –
chewed up my speech. But, my friends, if
ever a horse comes to town and delivers a sermon I want you to know that the
sermon is mine.”
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