1486 (5786-37) 16 Sivan 5786 (June 1, 2026)

"Life in a Dark, Damp American Cellar".

One day in the early 1900’s on the Lower East Side of New York City, a wealthy Jewish businessman was shocked to see two fair colored, young Jewish boys covered in black soot.

Why This Week? Towards the end of the Torah Portion, Shelach -- studied and read publically this week in Israel, but not till next week outside of Israel – we learn the seriousness of the intentional violation with full knowledge of those activities forbidden to be carried out on the weekly holy Day of Rest.

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Life in a Dark, Damp American Cellar

A man named Moshe Goldman came to America with his family from Europe in the early 1900's, looking for a better life. He was told it would be difficult religiously, as most businesses were open on Shabbat. Nevertheless, he and his wife made a commitment to stay loyal to Shabbat no matter what.

Sure enough, when he told his first boss that he wouldn't be coming in on Saturday, he was given a pink slip, and this pattern continued week after week. Goldman had a very difficult time earning a living, but his commitment to Shabbat was unwavering.

One day, Goldman came home to his Lower East Side apartment, crushed by the burden of another futile job interview, to find an eviction notice lying on the floor. He was more than three months behind with the rent.

He turned around and went to plead with his landlord, Mr. Wells, for an extension. The latter, however, claimed that he needed the money, and there was someone else willing to rent the apartment.

Fortunately, Mr. Wells was not a heartless person. Out of compassion, he told Goldman he would allow the family to remain in the building, so long as they would be willing to move into the cellar.

Their new "apartmnt" was actually the building's coal room. It was dark and damp, and thick black soot permeated the entire room, it was free; so they accepted it.

Weeks passed. One day, a wealthy businessman, Mark Bookman, was driving through that neighborhood and was astonished to see two boys with black faces wearing yarmulkas (kipot). He instructed his driver to pull over and stepped out for a closer look.

What he discovered was that they were two fair colored, young Jewish boys who were covered in black soot. He inquired about the soot, and the boys described their heartbreaking living conditions.

Mr. Bookman then asked the boys to show him where they lived, and he followed them to their apartment. When their mother opened the door and saw the distinguished guest, she was completely embarrassed.

Mr. Bookman though, seeing the pitiful situation, was overcome with compassion and wrote them a check for $5000 (an enormous amount of money in those days1 ). It was enough to support their entire family for several years.

As she thanked the man, Mrs. Goldman was overcome with joy; this was the answer to all of her prayers. When her husband, Moshe, returned, she told him the good news. His response shocked and dismayed her: "We cannot accept this money!"

"Why not?" she cried out, "He really wanted to give it to us."

"I know Mark Bookman," said Moshe gently. "He desecrates Shabbos. His business continues to operate on Saturdays, and Jews work there. We didn't sacrifice to observe Shabbat for the last two years to be rescued financially by someone who desecrates it."

Early the next morning, Moshe went to Mr. Bookman's sweater factory to return the check. He said that he was extremely grateful for the gesture, but nevertheless he could not accept it.

When he explained why, Mr Bookman stood dumbfounded, unable to utter a word, and when he returned home that night, his wife could see that he looked very disturbed. She asked what was wrong.

"I can't believe he didn't take the money," he told her, as he began to describe the events that had taken place.

Then he became teary eyed as he reminisced. "We used to be like that. Don't you remember? We also treasured Shabbat, until one week, when business was so awful, and we were short on money, we said, we're going to leave the store open on Shabbat. 'Just this one time,' we said. And then,…"

Tears streaked down his cheeks as he recalled that day ten years ago. "I want that passion back," he said. "I want to be a committed Jew also."

Right then and there, they accepted upon themselves to be Shomer Shabbos again. That Friday, an hour before sunset, Mr. Bookman entered his factory and proudly told all the workers, the factory will be closing for Shabbat. When he arrived home on Friday afternoon and watched his wife lighting the Shabbat candles for the first time in ten years, he felt like he had returned home from a very long journey.

The next week, he went back to Moshe Goldman and offered him the check again. This time, he explained how inspired he was from his loyalty to Shabbat, and that he had resolved to keep it from now on.

Moshe and his wife felt both happy and proud, as well as relieved to be free of their financial troubles, and Mr. Bookman merited to have religious grandchildren and great-grandchildren to this very day.

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The author, Rabbi Yechiel Spero, adds:
There's a famous saying that goes..."As much as the Jews kept Shabbat, the Shabbat kept the Jews!" The Shabbos that we keep today and that we kept throughout the generations is the secret that has kept the Jewish people alive and our continuity everlasting as a great nation until this very day.
May we all learn to appreciate the Shabbat and keep it to the highest standards that we possibly can, because it is the true source of all our blessings.
May we also be able to see the rewards and fruits of our observance through the Shabbatot we enjoy with our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Amen!

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Source: Modified and expanded by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition on ShabbatStories.com, as excerpted from the book, "Touched by a Story," by Rabbi Yechiel Spero.

Why This Week? Towards the end of the Torah Portion, Shelach -- studied and read publically this week in Israel, but not till next week outside of Israel - we learn the seriousness of the intentional violation with full knowledge of those activities forbidden to be carried out on the

Footnote
[1] 5000 1900 dollars = approx. $175,000 in 2026; 5000 1910 dollars = approx. $200,000 in 2026

Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

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