A Segula in Melave Malka for Parnassah

A Segula in Melave Malka for Parnassah

The Rabbi of Kaminka related that once a beggar, distressed by his fate, came to the Baal Shem Tov to receive his blessing. The tzadik said to him: “Go to such-and-such a bridge, and your dream will come true—you will find a treasure of silver and gold there.” The delighted beggar set out in search of the treasure, but despite all his efforts, he found nothing there. A tailor he knew, who was also poor, approached him and asked what he was doing there. The beggar told him about his visit to the tzadik and how he had failed to find anything. The tailor replied: “However, the Baal Shem Tov also told me to go to the home of such-and-such a person”—and he mentioned the name of the very beggar who had been searching under the bridge and was standing before him—“adding that beneath his stove I would find a great treasure. But I do not wish to go and dig under the ground near a stranger’s home.” Hearing this, the beggar thought: “I am the very owner of the treasure beneath the stove! I will go home and look for the treasure there.” And so it happened—as the tzadik had foretold, treasure was found beneath the beggar’s stove. The tailor, for his part, thought: “Since I am already here beneath the bridge, why not try looking for a treasure here? It is quite possible that the beggar’s words, spoken in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, are true!” After carefully digging beneath the bridge, he found a treasure of considerable size. As a result, they both became wealthy. Each of them said to himself: “I became wealthy thanks to my friend. How can I ever look him in the eye again, when he helped me escape poverty?” Without saying a word to one another, they independently decided to bring each other a sack of silver and gold as a gift. And that is what they did. When they met halfway and told each other what had happened after they parted, they were both overjoyed. But now they did not know what to do with the moneybags weighing down their shoulders. Since one had a marriageable daughter and the other had a son, they decided to marry their children and give them this money as a dowry. Segula The Rabbi of Kaminka concluded this story with these words: “By telling this story during the Melave Malka meal, held to bid farewell to Shabbat, we may merit a good livelihood. After this story, one should not tell any other story, but should only recite “Shir HaMa’alot” (Psalms 120–134) and Birkat HaMazon (the Grace After Meals).” Having finished speaking, the tzadik immediately recited “Shir HaMa’alot” and said that sometimes each of us can merit a great salvation simply through the mutual assistance we extend to one another. (Otzar HaSipורים 3, 16; translated by Adassa Kochubievskaya from the book by R. I. Ginzburg, The Light of Israel, 3, 103)