Weekly Chasidic Story #938 (s5776-10 / 4 Kislev 5776)

Sold into Slavery

The local rabbis decided to consult Rabbi Yaakov-Shimshon of Shepetovka about the woman whose husband, according to the account of his friend, had passed away in a distant land.

Connection: Weekly Reading -- Gen. 31:38-40--exposed to elements while guarding the flock.

1) Gen. 29:10, 31:38-39 (plus others in between)--guarding the flock; 2) Gen. 31:40--exposed to elements; 3) Rashi on Gen. 29:1`1--poor=dead.

Sold into Slavery

Two friends who lived in a large Jewish community in the Turkish empire would once a year journey together, traveling from town to town, as peddlers. One year, they did not return. Weeks and months passed without any word; they had simply disappeared.

A few years went by, but their fate remained a mystery. Their families and friends lost hope -- "They are gone, we must admit... forever."

Then, to the amazement of the whole town, one of the missing men returned, He was exhausted from weeks of trekking through harsh wilderness, lost and frightened. After resting a bit, he told the following story:

While passing from town to town, selling our humble wares, bandits ambushed us. They beat us, robbed us of what little money we possessed, and...and sold us as slaves to Arab merchants. We suffered for many months, prisoners, journeying with an Arab caravan through distant lands. They in turn also sold us as slaves, in some faraway Arab nation. Our new masters assigned us to ward their flocks and herds.

I cared for the horses, while my dear friend watched over the sheep. Occasionally, we would manage to meet secretly, on the prairies, despairing over our misfortune, dreaming of escape, yearning for freedom. But we knew we lacked any real hope. Prisoners we were, and so would we remain -- slaves, in an alien, distant land -- till the end of our days.

One day, sneaking through the prairies to meet with my friend, I found him sprawled on the ground, his sheep nowhere to be seen. Upon closer inspection, I perceived he was unconscious, and bound in ropes. His body appeared severely beaten and bruised, as if he had been maliciously thrashed.

I tended to him as best I could. Slowly, he regained consciousness. When I asked him, "What happened to you, dear brother?" he replied, "Two days ago, a wolf attacked the flock, snagging a sheep, despite my efforts to drive the dreadful beast away. A nearby Arab witnessed the event, but instead of assisting me, he just stood there and watched, grinning. Then he ran off to report the event to our master. The master beat me, oh so terribly. 'If ever this occurs again,' he warned, 'I guarantee you a dreadful, horrendous death.' And yesterday... yesterday, the wolves returned, again."

Chocking and sobbing, he continued, "I tried to protect the flock. Really, I tried my hardest! But the wolves attacked from all sides. One of the vicious beasts grabbed a tender lamb, eagerly devouring the succulent meat. I screamed for help, and many Arabs came promptly and chased away the wolves. But, as before, another sheep had been slaughtered. Then the owner arrived, steaming with rage.

"Furious, he beat me, severely. Finally, he stopped, but only to go back to the village to procure his sword. On the verge of death, I collapsed…and so you found me." With a blank look, he continued, "When he returns, I am a dead man!"

"Please," I begged, "allow me to help. Let me free you from your bonds."

He refused, however, insisting, "We won't be able to escape far, for the Arabs will pursue us and kill us both. I can't allow myself to be responsible for your death too. Please, promise me just this: that I have a proper Jewish burial, according to Jewish Law."

"I returned, at night, and saw his body bound, as before. He displayed no signs of life. Tears, streaming from my eyes, I buried him. Some months later, G-d Al-mighty saved me, miraculously. I managed to flee the savage bondage, and here I am."

* * *

Now, the Rabbis had to determine the status of the wife of the deceased. Certainly, he died, for his companion, who escaped, had buried him. The rabbis, however, were reluctant to declare her a widow immediately, which would allow her to marry another man. They decided to deliberate the matter further.

One day, a distinguished guest Torah scholar from the Holy Land, Rabbi Yaakov-Shimshon of Shepetovka, arrived in the town. It was not so long ago that he had moved to Israel, but, grieved by the economic stress of the Jews in the Holy Land, he annually made a trip to the countries of the West, gathering money for the struggling communities there.

The Rabbis decided to consult Rabbi Yaakov Shimshon about the woman whose husband, according to the account of his surviving friend, had passed away. The famed scholar requested the witness to tell his story, one more time. After hearing it from beginning to end, he inquired, "And his face you saw, I suppose."

"Not exactly," answered the witness. "It was dark, nearly midnight, but without doubt, he was lying there dead in the exact same place where I had left him, a few hours earlier, bound in ropes."

Rabbi Yaakov Shimshon pondered all the details of the case and the laws of the issue. Finally, he ruled, "It is impossible to release the agunah (the woman of undeterminable marital status) from her marriage on the basis of this testimony. Perhaps her husband escaped, and another man was buried in his place."

The Jews of the city reacted with mixed feelings. They were to unable to swallow the guest rabbi's verdict, which clearly was based on the most unlikely of possibilities. How they pitied the poor woman . Why shouldn't be allowed to remarry, after all?

* * *

More time passed. Early one morning, the agunah noticed a man standing in her doorway. He resembled her husband! Could it be? After so many years?

She fainted. When she revived she started sobbing from joy--exhilarated, yet so confused. "My husband! After all this time! I had given up hope! It seemed certain you were dead. Yet, here you are! I'm so happy! I'm so grateful to the One Above!"

* * *

The incident fascinated the whole city. Everyone waited eagerly for her husband's explanation
.
"I lay in the field, awaiting the hour of my passing, as my dear friend told you. I prayed and prayed to the Al-mighty, begging for His help, that He should have mercy on me and save me. While praying, on the verge of despair, I noticed the very same Arab who had informed on me, he who set in motion the process about to end my life. He approached me, and inquired, 'Why are you bound in these ropes?' At that moment, an idea popped into my head. This is G-d providing a possibility for my escape. Here was my chance!

"I told the Arab, 'What happened is that I discovered a terrible secret about my master's daughter. Immediately he insisted that I marry her, since I knew her secret. I tried to explain this to him that since I am Jewish, I could never marry a non Jew (Heaven forbid), and he became wild with rage. He beat me severely, as you can see, bound me here, and then left to the city, to fetch his sword so he could violently decapitate me upon his return.

"'He did offer, though, that if I change my mind and agree to marry her, he would not harm me further. In fact, he said, he would reward me. It is very difficult for me because my refusal will cost me my life and she is so beautiful and charming. Nevertheless, she is a non Jew and I shall die, instead of so much as touching her, let alone marrying her. Alas, she is so, so beautiful and charming.'

"The Arab, after hearing my fanciful story, said, 'please, allow me to help you. From what I have heard people saying, I can believe she is as charming and gorgeous as you say. Let us change places! You tell me the secret, and then we will switch clothes and you can bind me in these ropes in the same manner that you were tied. Then you will live and I will acquire his precious daughter, as a wife!'

"Keeping a straight face, I agreed. 'Okay, I will do this favor for you, if you wish. But you understand that I will have to beat you so that you have similar wounds.'

The Arab thought only for a few moments and then agreed again. 'It is worth it to acquire such a beautiful wife from such a wealthy family!'
I gave the Arab my clothes, tied him up with the ropes which, moments ago, bound me for death, until this Arab, sent from Heaven, released me, only to take my place. After he was bound tight -- and firmly beaten too, just to make sure -- I told the Arab the most absurd 'secret' I could fabricate. Then I ran off as fast as I could.

No one pursued me, thanks to the G-d of Israel. After months journeying, I made it home safely, alive and well. Blessed be He for sparing my life!"

* * *

Overwhelmed with joy and compassion, the community enthusiastically welcomed him back. Now, also, they called on each other to recognize the saintly insight of Rabbi Yaakov Shimshon, who, amazingly, did not allow the supposed widow to remarry. Somehow he knew that her husband had not quite passed from this world.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Freely adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the translation found on http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/weber/archives/archives.htm from an audio tape of the recently deceased tzadik of Jerusalem and Lubavitcher chasid, Rabbi Moshe Weber. (To obtain tapes from the vast collection, : "Shemu ViTachi Nafshechem" ("Hear and Your Soul Shall Live"), contact Ido Ehrlich-Weber at 972-2 682-8284, or weber@shemayisrael.co.il)

Connection: Weekly Reading -- Gen. 31:38-40--exposed to elements while guarding the flock.

Biographical note:
Rabbi Yaakov Shimshon of Shepetovka [? - 3 Sivan 5561 (? - May 1801)], a descendant of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropole, was a student of the Maggid of Mezritch and Rabbi Pinchus of Karitz and a close friend of Rabbi Boruch of Mezibuz. As a great authority in Jewish Law, he earned considerable respect also in rabbinic circles. In 1794 (according to charedi.org), he moved to Israel and settled in Tiberias, where he is buried.

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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