נדרים כא

A year after their marriage, a couple were blessed with a son. The husband asked his close friend to send a telegram to his parents. It contained just a few words: “My wife gave birth to a son. יעקב.” His friend said: “That’s not how to send a telegram. You shouldn’t write even a letter more than necessary. Yours has too many words. First, there is no need to write יעקב. Your parents will understand that it’s you and not some stranger from the street to whom the baby was born. Second, why say ‘my wife’? It’s obvious that it wasn’t another woman who gave birth to the baby. Third, why say ‘gave birth’? The baby wasn’t delivered by a stork. Finally, why say ‘son’? Have you ever heard of anyone sending a telegram announcing that he had a daughter?”

06/10/2021