Whose Pool is Bigger? 5 Parables for Thought

"Big Hands"

A little boy entered a store with his father. Before they left, the store owner handed the boy a jar of candies and said: "Put your hand in and take as many candies as you want." The boy stood and gazed at his father.

The shopkeeper repeated: "Kid, take a handful of candies, it's free..", but the boy stood and continued to gaze at his father. Finally, the father put his hand into the jar, took a handful of candies, gave them to his son, and they left the store.

On the way, the father asked his son why he didn’t take the candies himself. The boy smiled broadly and said: "I wanted you to take the candies for me, because your hand is bigger"...

And the moral - what you need - ask Hashem to give it to you, because his hands... are bigger!Don’t worry, you have a Father in Heaven who can give you everything! He just wants you to turn to Him. Hashem loves you and wants to give you all the goodness in the world. Ask Him for everything you need - ask to improve and correct yourself, because it’s not in your power, that He will help you work on your traits and come out of anger, that He will give you strength to treat your wife and children with patience and love despite the great difficulty... just ask!

Hospital Tour

It is told of a rabbi who once visited the hospital to perform a "bikur cholim" (visiting the sick), and on the way out he stood by a sign at the entrance for about 10 minutes.

His students asked him: "Rabbi, what are you looking for, did you forget something?" "No!" replied the rabbi: "I just don't want to forget what is written on the sign":

Floor 1 - Cardiology (Heart)

Floor 2 - Nephrology (Kidneys)

Floor 3 - Neurology (Nerves)

Floor 4 - Rheumatology (Joints)

Floor 5 - Gastro (Digestive System)

Floor 6 - Oncology (Cancer)

Floor 7 - Psychiatry

Floor 8 - Surgery

So many painful departments, and thank G-d I am not on this long list. Every day I get to sleep at home and not in a department, dressed in my own pajamas and not in a hospital gown, I can drink a glass of water through my mouth and in my living room, not through an IV..."

Friends, we have so many beautiful and good things in life - family, health, love, friends around us, livelihood. But sometimes we find ourselves focusing on the black spot: "How bad the financial situation is"... "Problems with my wife"...

We must open our eyes, and not focus on the black spot. To observe and thank Hashem for all the goodness and abundance He has given us, for every breath and every day of life, for our wonderful body, for all the gifts that surround us, that the Creator gave us in His great mercy and goodness.

So there are people who have to say thank you if they were sick and healed, or if they were saved from an accident. But you, who were never even in danger, all the more so you should say thank you, right?

Thank G-d, we are healthy, whole, and functioning, there is food to eat and clothes to wear... Thank you, Hashem!!!

(Photo: shutterstock)

Who is Rich?

One day, a very wealthy father took his son on a trip to the countryside, intended to show him how poor people can be. They stayed several days and nights at a farm with a very poor family.

On their return from the trip, the father asked his son: "How was the trip? Did you enjoy it?" "It was amazing, Dad." "Did you see how poor people can be?" asked the father. "Yes". answered the son. "So what did you learn from the trip, son?", asked the father.

"I saw that we have one dog and they have four," the son replied. "We have a pool that reaches the middle of the garden and they have a never-ending stream. We have imported lighting fixtures in the garden, they have the stars sparkling like diamonds in the night sky. Our patio balcony reaches the neighbor's garden, they have the whole horizon. We have a piece of land to live on, they have vast lands that go beyond what one can see. We have servants to serve us, and they serve others. We buy our food, and they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, and they have friends who protect them."

The son's words left the father stunned, and the son added: "Thank you, Dad, for showing me how poor we are. You taught me that everything is relative, what one sees as worthless, another sees as a treasure... For too long I dwelt on what I didn't have, instead of what I have to offer. Thank you, Dad!"

This is the intention of the sages when they said "Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot" (Pirkei Avot 4:1). The rich person is the one who is content with little and happy with what he has.When a person is happy with what he has achieved and does not regret what he does not have, he is truly rich- this is the only way to be happy. We must always look at what we do have and seek the good in it. When a person observes the goodness that Hashem grants him, he will always come to happiness. So are you rich or poor? It depends on how you see it...

The Camel and The Donkey

A man had a tall and strong camel and a small and weak donkey.

One day, the man went to sell goods: baskets of vegetables and sacks of wheat. He placed the basket of vegetables on the camel and put the sack of wheat on the donkey. The donkey was small and weak, uncomfortable carrying the load. The donkey said to his friend the camel: "My friend, I don't have the strength to carry the heavy load, please take a sack of wheat from me." The camel replied: "These are your sacks, carry them yourself!"

The donkey went along, but eventually collapsed and died. What did the man do? He placed the donkey's sacks on the camel, and even the dead donkey he placed on it. The camel remained silent and said nothing, but in his heart, he thought: "I didn't want to help, so now I carry the sacks... and also the donkey"...

Remember, beyond fulfilling the precious mitzvah of helping others, when you help others, you help yourself - you correct yourself.Returning lost items, acts of kindness, charity, helping those in need, the many chessed enterprises – they not only benefit those who need help but also those who provide it – as evidenced by countless benevolent individuals who report feelings of self-worth, satisfaction, fulfillment, and enjoyment.

(Photo: shutterstock)

Strength in Unity

A farmer had ten sons, who were always arguing with each other. Their father tried to influence them to change their ways and live in peace and unity, but he didn't succeed.

One day he asked his eldest son to bring him a bundle of sticks, and then the father gathered all his sons. Initially, he gave each of them the bundle of sticks when they were tied together, and told each of them to break the sticks, but none of them succeeded.

Finally, the father opened the bundle and gave them each stick separately to break. Now they were able to break them. The father said to them: "Like these sticks, so are you - if you live in unity, peace, and brotherhood - no man can harm you. But if you quarrel and separate from each other, anyone can harm you"...

So are we, the people of Israel. When we are united, Hashem takes pleasure, and no one can defeat us. If we are divided, we cause pain to Hashem. Remember, we are all one nation, children of one beloved Father, brothers together in hardship and joy. Our strength is in our unity!

It is important to nurture this unity, to remember it even when there are quarrels and anger, and to understand that unity and peace are the secret of our strength and the vessel for receiving divine abundance, all blessing, and goodness.