They once came to R. Israel Shalom Joseph Heschel the Mezibizer Rebbe about a woman who had a difficult labor. He gave his blessing that she should be helped. He then said: “A remedy for a difficult labor is to go for a walk and tell a story.” He took the two[?] people close to him and told them the following story.
In a shtetl, there lived a very wicked nobleman. He used to do whatever he wanted, and no one dared to confront him. For example, he would stand near the mikveh, wait for the women to leave from immersing, and abduct them for his nefarious deeds.
He once abducted in this way a young woman at the mikveh and forced her to come with him to his castle. He was suddenly called away – so he undressed the woman naked so that she would be unable to run away, and he locked her in a room. The woman was beside herself. She noticed that there was a balcony that had remained open and from which one could jump down. She was prepared to risk the big jump – but she was naked – so she took a bedcover – wrapped it around herself – jumped down and with God’s help she escaped.
She came to her husband and told him the story. However, he did not believe her even though she swore that the nobleman did not even manage to touch her. He told her that he no longer wanted to live with her – but since he was very angry, he decided to run away. The town in which he lived was a port and he wanted to embark and travel far, far away.
While waiting for a ship, he saw the nobleman running like a wild man – hitting himself in the head. The Jew recognized him – and he asked him what had happened – the nobleman told him the story and that he didn’t care about the woman who ran away even though he never even touched her – but his entire fortune was sewn into the bedcover that she had taken.
The Jew was overjoyed – especially as he had learned that his wife had told the truth. He returned to her – appeased her and when they cut open the bedcover they indeed found a hoard of money [mamon korah].
Just as the Mezibizer finished the story they were greeted with the news that a boy was born.
I.F.
Abraham Lipa Popik
