Spiritual Parables
Spiritual Parables
Following are several short stories and parables which are all crafted within a spiritual theme. The main character of these stories is a fictional Rabbi named Yedidya bar Ari (the name of my son). There are stories featuring other fictional characters as well. In the Jewish tradition a Maggid is one who speaks in parables and stories in order to communicate the loftiest of spiritual ideas to the masses of people outside of scholarly circles. To this day the telling of parables is quite popular.
Y
R. Yedidya bar Ari came across four wise men seated cross
legged before the rising Sun.
"We have been sitting here in stillness all night,
awaiting the dawn," said one of the men.
Another man broke wind.
Pointing to the sky, R. Yedidya said: "Look, it has
come and gone. The dawn waits not for the prophet who seeks to enter the city
on his ass but does not have the sense to move his bowels."
Y
A disciple came to R. Yedidya bar Ari seeking guidance.
"Master," he implored, "I am always slipping into evil and doing
things that I later regret. Help me."
R. Yedidya placed a hand on his shoulder, saying to the man:
"If you are always running towards your shadow, my son,
then you will find it is because you are running away from the light."
Y
Two Angels were waiting on the corner of the street where R.
Yedidya bar Ari lived. One wore a black cloak, the other a white one. When the Rabbi
came out of his house he saw the Angels waiting for him at the end of the road.
Turning his collar against the wind he set off in the opposite direction
muttering to himself:
"When Angels are to be found hustling on street
corners, it is time to seek spirituality in the bordello."
Y
A young man came upon a very old man sitting by the side of
the path warming his hands on the flames of a small fire he had built. Sitting
down by his side he offered him a drink from his flask and a few figs from his
canteen.
After many pleasantries the old man said: "When I was young
I was a disciple of Rav Yedidya bar Ari, but I ran away. It is something that I
deeply regret."
The young man enquired: "Why did you turn aside from
the Rabbi’s wisdom?"
The old man replied: "I had been a novice for one whole
year, and I approached the Rabbi asking him to tell me the name of my higher
angel. He whispered the name in my ear, but I was too young to understand his
answer and thought he was tricking me, so I left."
"What name did he tell you, old man?" The young
man inquired.
"It was my own name," the old man sighed.
Y
R. Yedidya bar Ari appeared in the market square among the
crowds who had gathered to listen to the Christian prophets of doom speak of
the end of the world. Upon his back he carried a parachute. His friend Shlomo
saw him approaching and cried:
"Rabbi, why do you wear a parachute?"
"I met a chicken and a turkey on the road here, and
they told me that the sky was falling," Yedidya replied.
"The prophets here speak of the end of the world,"
Shlomo said somberly. "They say that anyone who reads their Bible and believes
will be saved."
"Well," said R. Yedidya, "you will be safe if
you buy their book. I am safe, because I have my parachute. But I cannot
believe that God will not spare the chicken and the turkey."
Y
R. Avinoam ben Chaim came across the desert and beheld the
pyramids for the first time. A veiled woman came out of the shadow of the
sphinx to greet him. Beneath her coat she held a desert fox, veiling it from
the morning winds.
"Girl," Avinoam called out, "I am following
the stars looking for three Kings."
Pointing to a row of three small pyramids she said:
"You have found them. But they have been long dead."
"Still, I will sleep here and pass the night with
them," R. Avinoam said, dismounting from his camel.
"Sir," the veiled maiden addressed him. "You
are the first who has passed this way who has not been overwrought with sorrow
at finding the objects of his quest so long deceased."
"I came this way because I believed the stars were
calling me to be here at this time. I will lie beneath the stars at this place
and seek their wisdom in dreams. Would you care for some fresh water and
figs?" Avinoam asked politely, offering the girl his canteen and flask.
"Sir, your chivalry does you proud," she replied.
"But it is written that at a time such as this, one like yourself might give
all for a kiss but whosoever gives one particle of dust shall lose all at that
hour."
Recognizing her as a priestess of Nuit, goddess of the night
sky, Avinoam bowed his head. "Madam," he said, "you are certainly
welcome to all and everything I possess."
Dropping her veil, the priestess revealed herself to Avinoam and they kissed under the desert skies.
"You are indeed a fool, if you plan to continue through
the desert," the priestess said gently. "Here, take this little
desert fox. It will guide you through the wilderness and warn you of the
scorpions in the dark of night. You have broken the letter and the spirit of
the law of the Torah this night in kissing me. But your audacity weighs in balance
with your kindness, and this puts you beyond blessing or forgiveness. Journey on noble
traveler but follow the dog," and she passed him the desert fox and
departed.
Y
An acolyte came to R. Kefet bar Yonah, saying: "Take me
as your pupil, O master. I would do anything to prove myself worthy."
"Then take this box to the Sage who lives over the
river", Rav Kefet said, handing him an old shoe box tied firmly with string.
"But do not look inside, or I will know you are unworthy."
All through the journey, a voice cried out from the box:
"May God save us! May God save us!" As he was
crossing the river, the acolyte's curiosity became too much for him and he
loosened the string and peeked inside.
As soon as he opened the box a parrot flew out, fell into
the river and was washed away.
Returning to the Rabbi, he confessed himself, begging forgiveness
and a second chance to make amends.
Rav Kefet pointed
to the yeshiva’s door. "Be gone!" he said.
"You show more respect for the voice of a parrot than
for the commands of your teacher. If I taught you in the Torah you would become
more of a policeman than a judge!"
Y
"I am knowing, and yet rarely known." The Holy One
said to Rav Yedidya in his dream. "If you would know me, you must sit in the
deepest well in the city for three nights at the dark of the Moon."
So Yedidya
purchased an oversize bucket and had himself lowered into the well the next
day.
The people of the town were amazed and a large crowd gathered
around to witness his vigil. For three days and nights Yedidya remained in the
well. To his surprise he found that he could see the stars of the heavens in
the day time as well as at night. And so he became dumb-struck with awe.
When he was hauled up, Rav Yedidya was summoned to the tent
of the Caliph, who wished to learn what Yedidya had experienced down the well,
and offered a meal and wine.
Refusing these, Rav Yedidya requested a simple bowl of dates
and a glass of goat’s milk which he consumed with relish. He was then brought
before the Caliph who asked him: "What did the Holy One reveal of Itself
to you, my son?"
Rav Yedidya stared at him for a moment before replying.
"In seeking the light, we are all blinded by it," he said. "It
is what is beyond the light that should concern us: for the light shines out of
a darkness which cradles us continuously."
"The Light is the Way, but the darkness is the
beginning and the end."
"And how may we know the Holy One? How is it that we may
come to know the unknowable?" The Caliph further pursued.
"By living simple lives," Yedidya replied.
"And by learning that one must descend into the darkness in order to see
beyond the light."
Y
Asher was selling figs in the market square one morning when
a travelling master hypnotist arrived and set up his stage next to his pitch. Throughout the morning, crowds gathered to see the hypnotist
convince men that they were donkeys, and women that they were tigers. Stupid
men came to be cured of their imbecility, those with stutters were made able to
speak clearly, the lame walked and the nearly blind were restored to sight. As
the crowds gathered, Asher sold more figs in one morning than he might
reasonably expect to do in a week or more. Counting his takings with deep
satisfaction, Asher decided that he would make a habit of following the
magician from town to town.
Towards the end of the morning as noon came upon them, each
of the stall holders closed for the mid-day heat break. The hypnotist counted
his gold, paid to him by those seeking to be hypnotized.
Having sold his entire stock of figs Asher counted his money
too, and made up his mind to consult the hypnotist himself when the afternoon
session began. Having taken his place in the queue, Asher's turn soon came
about and the Master hypnotist asked him what he wished of him.
"I wish to marry an intelligent woman, who will give
me strong and clever children," Asher replied. "But I fear
that I am too poor and simple to be of interest to such a bride."
"And what would you give for this?" the
hypnotist inquired.
"Oh, I would give anything to lead a fulfilling life,"
Asher replied. "I would follow you and pay you a share of my profits if
you could make such a thing possible.”
"Then promise me a share in your business equal to
one third and I will grant your wishes," the hypnotist commanded, and
so Asher agreed to give over a third share of his business profits to the
Master.
After placing the fig-seller in a deep hypnotic trance the Master
commanded him to be wise in all dealings, discerning in all purchases, fair
with all people and cheerful against all adversity. Then he put his mouth to Asher’s
ear and, in a whisper, commanded him to take all of his powers from him.
When Asher awoke from his trance he found that he knew many
things that he previously did not and that everyone that he spoke to treated
him with deference and respect; obeying his will even so far as paying
immediate attention to his slightest wants, needs, or casual suggestions.
And as the afternoon passed, Asher began to recollect more
and more about his consultation with the Master Hypnotist, who had suddenly
shut up his stall immediately after treating him.
Remembering that he had pledged one third of his business to
the master hypnotist, Asher turned to a nearby merchant in fine cloths whom he
had seen arrive with other traders in the retinue of the master hypnotist’s
caravan.
"I have given a third share in my business to the
Master," Asher exclaimed. "And he has given me a share of his powers.
I do not understand."
"There are many merchants in the Master's caravan,"
the silk merchant answered.
"And in this town, at this time, we have need of
figs. If you follow the master as one of our number, as now you must, you will
always show a profit on your figs. And you will not even need to work your
stall, for the Master will provide willing servants to do the work of the
donkey."
"And what will I do?" Asher hesitantly inquired.
"You will do the work of the Master entertaining the
masses and curing the sick, in this you must be wise and crafty"
the merchant replied. "You now have the power to do anything you so desire.
But in this one thing you must now abide."
"But all I wanted was an intelligent and good
looking wife," Asher protested.
"You can have your pick of wives," the
merchant answered, "they will come running at your bidding. You are now
the Master and the power has been passed on to you."
"Truly has the weight of responsibility fallen on my
shoulders," Asher muttered. "But why do you say I will have to
be crafty?"
"Well, you know the Master who hypnotized you?"
the Merchant asked. Asher nodded his head. "Well, when he had the power
passed on to him do you know what he asked for?"
Asher shook his head. The merchant continued: "Well,
he wanted to go into the fig business."
Y
Rav Yedidya bar Ari
was visiting a village at the foot of the mountains near the desert where a
famous sorcerer taught his disciples the secrets of magic and walking through
fire.
When the sorcerer
heard that the great Rabbi and mystic Yedidya bar Ari was praying at the synagogue
in his village he sent his chief disciples to invite the learned sage to a
feast that would be held in his honor that same evening in the town center.
Rav Yedidya arrived
at the celebrations and took his place at the head of the table beside his
host. Fatted calves and lambs had been slaughtered and laid before the company.
Dancing girls entertained the assembly between courses, and the sorcerer's
disciples waited upon the two learned ones throughout the banquet.
As the light grew
dim, the chatter of conversation filled the town center. Rav Yedidya and the sorcerer
had exchanged no more words than a simple greeting at the commencement of the
proceedings and sat next to one another in silence. When the bowls were being
cleared from the floor the sorcerer clapped his hands together and his pupils
prepared the fire pit for a demonstration of their skill.
After an hour, the
flaming embers were judged to be ready for the demonstration and, one by one,
the wonder worker's disciples walked the length of the pit of flames apparently
untouched by the heat.
The crowd applauded
each of them as they completed their walk. As the last disciple completed his
demonstration, Rav Yedidya asked the sorcerer how he trained his followers to
perform such wonders.
"By
meditation upon the chapters of the Holy Torah." The sorcerer replied.
Upon hearing these
words Rabbi Yedidya took a particularly valuable copy of the Torah from his
robes and cast it into the flames, burning it to cinders.
"This is
sacrilege," the followers of the wonder worker cried. "Yedidya
must die for his crime." And they swept him aloft in their arms and
cast him into the fire.
After lying there for
a few minutes, Rav Yedidya rose to his feet unscathed and looked upon the angry
crowd whereupon a deep silence fell over them. His gaze was as cold as ice, and
the assembly began to know fear.
"He is a
demon," some of them cried.
"Look, the
fire has not touched him," others shouted.
"You are
wrong," Rav Yedidya said, remonstrating with them. "The fire
of the spirit is more fierce than the fire that springs from wood or earth.
Behold....." he reached down into the flames and pulled out the Holy Torah
which, moments before had been destroyed in the flames. And with this he strode
out of the burning pit.
"It is a
trick," the sorcerer exclaimed. "You must be a demon. You were
not prepared for the fire, and yet you are untouched by the flames."
Rav Yedidya seized
the wonder worker by the throat. "You are a deceiver." he
said. "It is you who are the spawn of darkness, for you have taught
your disciples to work parlor tricks from meditations upon the sacred verses in
the name of the Most High." And with that, he cast the deceiver into
the fire whereupon he was consumed.
At once, the
disciples of the former sorcerer surrounded the Rabbi and begged him to tell
them how he had managed to destroy the deceiver with the same fire the sorcerer
had taught them could not hurt the righteous and which he had faced many times before
in demonstration of his power.
"And tell us
Master, how you managed to reclaim the Holy Torah from the flames,"
one disciple beseeched him.
"The letters
of the Law are written in celestial flame and cannot be destroyed by earthly
fire," Yedidya replied. "For the law is written in flame upon
the heart of those who love it and can never truly be lost.”
"Your master
was consumed by the flame of the spirit which resides within the law. It was
the flame of righteousness that destroyed him. Before the Holy Torah burned
before you, the fire of the pit was merely the fire of earthly destruction which
the law was given to save you from."
"Then should
we burn our Books of the Law?" the disciples inquired. "To
liberate ourselves from the ashes of the world?"
"Yes."
Rav Yedidya replied. "But you should burn the Book of the Law in the
furnace of experience. Do not take a match to it. Until its words are scorched
into your hearts and minds, you will continue to live in the realm of shadow. In
order to see the world clearly you must become the light. Then, even the
letters of the Law will seem as shadows to you for you will have become the Law."
"And how will
we know when we are truly at one with the Law?" The disciples asked
him.
"When someone
takes offence at your actions and tries to burn you at the stake as a heretic,"
the Rabbi replied. "If the flames do not touch you, then you are indeed
enlightened."
And from that day Rav
Yedidya became known as Baal Eish (Master of Fire).
Y
After forty days and
nights of traveling Rabbi Azriel came to the Sphinx. A dark man sat beneath the
great beast's gaze smoking a hookah pipe.
"You may go
no further until you smoke with me and answer my riddle." he said. Rabbi
Azriel sat down beside him and started toking on the pipe.
"Begin,"
he said.
"I am within
the circle and without," the dark man began. "I have six
sides, twelve edges and seek to impose my order on all things. What am I?"
Holding down a
particularly satisfying draught of smoke for a moment, Rav Azriel thought
deeply. As he exhaled a smile came over his face. "You are only half
the story," he said wisely.
And with that both
men burst into laughter.
"Pass on my
friend." the dark man said.
Y
A beggar was the
first to see Rabbi Meshullam enter the city dressed in the robes of a master.
Every so often the Rabbi would stop and look behind him before continuing.
The beggar approached
him and, receiving alms, inquired what it might be that the Master was looking
behind him for.
"I am looking
for my followers," the Rabbi explained before continuing on his way.
The beggar thought
this to be most amusing and followed Rav Meshullam at a discreet distance,
telling friends who he met on the way about the predicament of the Rabbi.
Every so often
someone would similarly inquire of the Rabbi why it was that he kept looking
behind him, and receive the same answer as the beggar. They too would follow Rav
Meshullam telling their friends along the way, and very soon hundreds of others
had joined the growing throng.
Before long Meshullam
reached the city’s temple and the head priest beheld the approaching mass with
the Rabbi at its head, turning every few steps to regard the crowd before continuing.
The high priest met
him at the gateway and enquired:
"Master you
are welcome. But why do you turn to look behind you so often?"
"I am looking
for my followers," Meshullam replied softly.
"But they
seem to be many," the High Priest said. "Why do you so concern
yourself?"
"The problem
lies in distinguishing the Followers from the stragglers," Meshullam
said with a thin smile.
And with that he led
the assembly into the outer court of the Temple and began to teach.
I love these. More please!