A Jewish shopkeeper lay on his deathbed. The family gathered close to the bedside. His wife sobbed.
“Jacob, Jacob! Have mercy,” they cried. “Do not leave us. Have pity open your eyes. See! We are all here around you. Look – here’s Morris, Harry, Sarah, Rivkah!
Jacob arose with a start. “If you are all here,” he shouted, “who’s minding the store??”
Funny. Knowing why this is a funny anecdote is important. It stresses that when we are near death the mundane does not matter. No one would care who is at the store when the Angel of Death stand with his sword unsheathed. A perspective from our tradition: Treat each moment as your last and each moment will yield its greatest fruits.
“Jacob, Jacob! Have mercy,” they cried. “Do not leave us. Have pity open your eyes. See! We are all here around you. Look – here’s Morris, Harry, Sarah, Rivkah!
Jacob arose with a start. “If you are all here,” he shouted, “who’s minding the store??”
Funny. Knowing why this is a funny anecdote is important. It stresses that when we are near death the mundane does not matter. No one would care who is at the store when the Angel of Death stand with his sword unsheathed. A perspective from our tradition: Treat each moment as your last and each moment will yield its greatest fruits.
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