The Kelmer Maggid, Rabbi
Moshe Isaac, spent a weekend at a summer resort near Riga. On Shabbat he noticed that there were
numerous Jews in the synagogue without a Tallit because they were too lazy to
bring them to the synagogue.
“My friends, I will tell you
a story,” began the Maggid. “Recently,
while I was spending a Shabbat in Riga I visited a wealthy merchant and was
informed that he was not in. ‘Where is
he?’ I asked. ‘He left on a pleasure
trip,’ was the reply. Suddenly I heard
sobbing from a nearby chamber. When I
entered the room there was no one in sight.
Then I saw a tallit bag on the wall.
I realized that the tallit was crying.
“Tallit, dear tallit, why do you weep?’
I asked. ‘Why shouldn’t I cry?’
the tallit replied. ‘My master left and
took all his gold and silver but left me behind all alone.’ So I spoke consolingly. ‘Dry your tears, little tallit. There will come a day when your master will
have to make a much longer journey. Then
he will leave his entire wealth of gold and silver behind and only you will be taken along'."
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