This week we officially celebrate friendship, although it should be celebrated every day. I’m reposting this from a beautiful friend I have that sadly I don’t get to see a lot.
There is a beautiful story in the Talmud that explains friendship. At the time of the Roman Empire, two Jewish boys had grown up together in Israel and became very good friends. After a while they moved far apart- one living under the Roman control, and the other one living under Syrian control. Yet they managed to remain close friends.
One time when the fellow from Rome was visiting Syria, someone falsely accused him of being a spy. So they brought him into the Syrian Emperor who sentenced him to death.
As he was being led to be executed, they asked if he has one last wish. “Please, let me go back to Rome to settle my affairs and say goodby to my family. I promise to come back.”
The Emperor laughed and said “are you crazy? What guarantee will I have that you’ll come back?”
The friend stood up for him and said “I’ll be his guarantor, if he doesn’t come back You can kill me instead.”
The Emperor was so intrigued and startled by the arrangement that he agreed and gave him 60 days to put his affairs in order and say goodby to his family.
The 60th day arrived and the friend didn’t return. His friend was prepared for the execution. All the town had come. When they were ready to pull the rope the friend appeared and started screaming “I’m here, I’m here, don’t kill my friend. At that moment something incredible happened, the friend said “kill me” and the other said “No,kill me” this went back and forth for a while. Finally the Emperor said “I’ll let both of you free on one condition. That you make me your third friend.”
When there is unity there is strength and the blessing of G-d.
Live a little higher
