A Story

On a bitter cold night in the city of Mezritch, she made her way to the mikvah. But, alas, upon her arrival, she was turned away by the heartless woman on duty at the mikvah for she had no money to pay the nominal entrance fee. With a heavy heart she made her way home. Suddenly, a carriage drew up alongside her. Four royal women sat inside. “Why are you on the road alone at this hour?” they asked. Weeping, she related how she had been turned away from the mikvah. “How lucky!” they exclaimed. “We are on the way to the mikvah ourselves. Come with us and we will be happy to pay for you as well.” Trembling with gratitude at this unexpected reversal, the woman accepted their kind offer and climbed into the carriage. With an uplifted spirit she immersed in the mikvah and then made her own way home. There, her saintly husband, the great Magid of Mezritch, detected something about his wife, for there was almost an aura about her. He asked her about her evening and she recounted all that had happened. “Ah,” said the Magid, smiling. “Your benefactors are not unknown to you after all. They were out Matriarchs, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. You brought them down to earth through your tears. They heard your plea and came to take you to the mikvah.” Adapted from Rivkah Slonim’s adaptation & translation printed in Total Immersion.

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