The Precious Desire

When a gaon, rabbi in a large city, grew old and feeble, he decided to change his position for one in a small city.  There he would be able to live peacefully and freer from responsibilities.  The gaon assembled the overseers of the community and said, “My dear friends, I am old and weary.  I would like to settle in a small city, where I can live quietly, but I want your permission to do so.”

The people, realizing that the rabbi had served them wholeheartedly for many years consented.  The sage immediately wrote to a nearby city, which was in need of a rabbi, and told them he would be willing to accept the position at a small salary, if only her were permitted to live peacefully.  The people were thrilled beyond words.  They elected the most distinguished personalities of their community and sent them to fetch the rabbi.  When the men arrived to take him and his family, the inhabitants surrounded the coaches and began to shout, “We will not permit you to take our beloved rabbi!”

“My people, what is the matter with you?” the gaon replied.  “Have I not discussed this situation with you previously, and you agreed?  Why do you object now?”
“Forgive us rabbi,” they replied.  “You are right."
But as the coachmen prepared to depart with the sage and his belongings, several men of the mob seized them and gave them a beating.

“You efforts are in vain,” they cried, “for we will not give you our precious rabbi.”

Again the gaon appealed to them.  “You have already consented that I go.  Why do you behave in such an unruly manner?”

“Rabbi, we did not intend to harm the people,” they explained.  “It was only an act of graciousness to you.  We thought the situation over carefully and decided that the people of the small city might think you have left us because we no longer wanted you.  Since we felt they would not give you honor and respect you are worthy of, we wanted to prove to them how much we treasure you.”

Moral: When God declared to give the Torah to the Jews the angels protested.  They did not want to part with the Torah so readily, for fear that the Jews would think the Lord was giving them something which the angels in heaven no longer wanted.