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קטגוריה: Shabbos Stories

פורסם בחמישי, 19 נובמבר 2020 18:45

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A Parrot’s Word (from Eit Lachshov)

The Abir family in Bnei Brak had a large, green and talkative parrot. When they first bought it, they taught it to say a number of words which suited their family. After being trained for a long time, the parrot learned to say “gut Shabbos” and “Shema Yisrael.” When asked how it felt, it would reply: “Boruch Hashem.”

One day, it flew about a mile away from the Abir home, and landed in an empty basketball lot. A man name Netanel Elchanan found it, and seeing that it was very weak decided to nurse it back to health. After a few weeks, the parrot recuperated and began to “talk.”

One morning, the parrot called out: “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echod.” Netanel was astounded and didn’t believe what he had heard.

“Did the parrot really say Shema?” he asked himself.

Netanel’s question was soon answered when the parrot repeated the first verse of Shema Yisrael.”

This incident reoccurred for three days in a row, and Netanel was stunned. “Elisheva,” he said to his wife. “Imagine that. I never say Shema Yisrael, while this little creature recites it daily.”

Even though Netanel wasn’t religious, he was still familiar with the words of the Shema and the idea that a little bird, said them every day, while he didn’t, greatly disturbed him. He then told Elisheva that he wanted to pray in the local synagogue in order to recite Shema there that morning.

Elisheva encouraged him, and said: “Of course you should go to the synagogue. The parrot can say Shema at home. But only a Jew can go to the synagogue.”

Netanel went to the synagogue that morning, and felt so good there, that he returned the next day.

Within a short while, he became one of the steady members of the morning minyan [service]. Eventually, he began to feel uncomfortable when he removed his kipah [head covering] before he left the synagogue. One day, he decided to leave it on, and to his surprise, his wife was pleased.

Gradually he and his wife began to draw closer to Torah and mitzvos. In the beginning, Elisheva lit Shabbos candles and Netanel said kiddush, while the entire family ate a Shabbos meal together. Shortly afterwards, Elisheva and Netanel decided that they wanted to learn more about their Jewish roots.

This thirst for Torah and to learn more led them to attend a seminar sponsored by the Arachim organization. At the seminar they heard various lectures delivered by the Arachim staff, and they participated in a number of workshops. One workshop was led by Daniel Abir who spoke about his lost parrot. Immediately, Netanel identified it as the parrot he had found.

Netanel didn’t know whether or not he should return the parrot to Daniel Abir, and discussed the matter with the rabbi of his synagogue. He told the rabbi: “We like the parrot so much, especially since it drew us closer to Torah,”

Patiently, the rabbi explained to Netanel the importance of the mitzah of returning a lost item to its owner. Then he said; “ A golden opportunity to do a mitzvah is being placed at your doorstep. Take advantage of it now that you are strengthening yourself in Torah! Besides, the parrot is the one who caused you to come closer to Torah and as a reaulr it is appropriate for you to follow the Torah’s precepts and return the parrot to its rightful owner.”

Netanel agreed and the following day brought the parrot back to Daniel Abir. Then he told him the entire story

Daniel was happy that the parrot had been returned to him. But he was even happier over what the parrot had achieved during the time it was away. “I knew that it was good idea to teach it Shema” Daniel said. “But I never imagined how good.”|

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