Issue nº 78

Seven very short stories

The two pockets (Hasidic tradition)
     Rabbi Bunam told his disciples:
     - Everyone should have two pockets with a note in each one. On one should be written: "God created the world so that I could admire him." On the other should be written "All I am is ashes and dust."

Goodbye (Richard Marius)
     During the atrocities that accompanied the Bolshevik revolution, thousands of people were arbitrarily arrested, beaten, stripped and executed with a shot in the back of the head. According to one witness: "at the most tragic moment in our lives we have an absolute need to not feel alone. So most of the victims asked to say goodbye - and since there was nobody nearby, they embraced and said farewell to their executioners."

The reason for being here (Gregory Corrigan)
     The man walked down the main street in his town. He saw beggars, cripples, people in a state of misery. Unable to live with so much suffering, he implored to heaven above: "God, how can you love human beings so much and at the same time do nothing for those who are suffering?"
     "I did something for them," a voice said. "I made you."

Closer to God (anonymous)
     One of the most disconcerting - and delightful - of the master's teachings was to repeat: "God is closer to sinners than to saints."
     And he explained in this way: "The Lord above has a thread that connects Him to each and every human being. When you do something wrong, this thread is cut and God ties a knot. The more sins, the more knots to the thread and the shorter it grows, so the person draws ever closer to His mercy."

Vice (Hasidic tradition)
     One of the students was talking to his neighbor when Rabbi Pinchas came in. Curious, he asked what they were talking about.
     "Rabbi, we were worried about the vices that can pursue us."
     "No need to worry about that," answered Pinchas. "In youth, it's you that pursue the vices."

Administrating the plants (anonymous)
     A man who was very proud of his garden was desolated to see that it had been infested by a blight of dandelions. Try as he might, he just could not get rid of them. In despair, he wrote to the local Department of Agriculture. "What should I do?"
     After a long silence, he received the answer:
     "We suggest that you learn to love them."

Have pity on my soul (Saadi of Shiraz)
     A king who tortured his people with high taxes, repression and censorship received a visit from a holy man.
     "Say a prayer for me and my kingdom, asking God to have pity on all," demanded the king.
     Immediately, the holy man prayed: "Lord of Mercy, take the life of this man."
     The king became furious: "What kind of crazy prayer is that?"
     "It's the best thing that could happen to you, because you won't commit any more sins, and to your people, because they will be free of so much injustice."