Yitzhak was a poor storekeeper whose wife earned a livelihood for the family while he sat in the synagogue daily and studied. The woman harassed her husband because she was the breadwinner and he never lent a helping hand. Yitzhak always remained silent and bowed his head with shame. On the way to the synagogue one morning, he met an old man with a long grey beard.
"Why are you so despondent, my friend?" the old man asked.
Yitzhak immediately recognized the other as the prophet Elijah. "Dear Rabbi," he moaned, " I am very unhappy. Woe to the man who has to live on his wife's earnings. Have mercy on me and bless me with good fortune so that I may be able to support my family."
"As soon as you reach your house," the prophet replied, "you will have luck in the first thing you touch, and that good luck will never forsake you."
The storekeeper ran home as fast as his legs could carry him, and quickly began to count his wife's earnings for the day. He believed that the money would multiply, and he would count on endlessly.
Suddenly his wife entered, and seeing her husband handling the money, angrily thrust him aside, unleashing a torrent of wrathful words. This time Yitzhak was courageous, and retaliated word for word. The blessing of the prophet was fulfilled in their heated argument. Husband and wife bickered ceaselessly, and in such a fashion lived for the rest of their days, all because the man did not know how to make a good living.
Moral: After the flood, Noah had the task of reconstructing the chaotic earth. However, the first thing he did was to pant a vineyard into which his entire good luck was sunk. The very same day that Noah cultivated the vineyard, it yielded wine. Noah drank heavily, became intoxicated and so brought shame onto himself.
Touch goodness. Reach out for opportunities to do good things and Godly things. That kind of change in fortune will yield great dividends.
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