מכות יג

During the funeral procession of ר׳ מרדכי רקובה, while people were walking somberly, ר׳ בונים מפשיסחא, to everyone’s surprise, broke out in laughter.   When asked how he could laugh at a time like this, ר׳ בונים explained:  “ר׳ מרדכי just told a joke on his way to גן עדן.  A מלאך asked ר׳ מרדכי for his name and he responded אליעזר.  The מלאך said ‘But your name is מרדכי?’ ‘If you know,’ said the צדיק, ‘why do you ask?’  The מלאך then took him to the בית דין של מעלה to inquire about his deeds on earth.  But before the interrogation began, ר׳ מרדכי said he had a few questions and טענות of his own.  The מלאכים were stunned by this brazenness, but permitted him to continue.  ‘Do you recall that 72 years ago, my נשמה was before the כסא הכבוד?,’ he asked. ‘What could be better than that?  When I was placed in this dark and small place, I was told that פרקי אבות states על כרחך אתה נוצר.  Not long after, when I was born, I was told על כרחך אתה נולד.  When I responded that I don’t have פרנסה and מלאכים, I was told that I have no choice.  And now again, when the מלאך took me to this world, I was told על כרחך אתה מת.  All in all, אני ויתרתי על שלושה על כרחך ואתם תוותרו לי עכשיו על אחד: על כרחך אתה עתיד ליתן דין וחשבון!’”

06/10/2021