שבת-פב

When Moshe’s wife gave birth to a son, he asked his חברותא and beloved friend to serve as סנדק at the ברית מילה.  To his surprise, the חברותא declined the honor.  Moshe asked several times more, but the חברותא was insistent that he would not accept the honor.  Moshe was equally insistent in demanding an explanation.  The חברותא pulled him aside and said “I can’t do it because I’m a גוי.”   Thinking that the חברותא was joking, Moshe said “I want a serious answer.”  The חברותא assured him he was serious.   “I recently learned that the גיור of my grandmother wasn’t על פי הלכה,” he said. “My mother and I are working on becoming גרים, but we’re not there yet.”  Not fully believing what he was hearing, Moshe said; “But you know that a גוי who observes שבת is חייב מיתה.  How is it that you are שומר שבת כהלכתה?”   “I know, I know,” the חברותא answered.  “That’s why I carry a paper in my pocket on שבת.  That way I’m מחלל שבת!”  Hearing this, Moshe responded: “No.  You’re not מחלל שבת.  There’s an עירוב!”  With a little smirk on his face, the חברותא replied: “I don’t hold from the עירוב.”

22/05/2020