As part of his inheritance, Rabbi Yosef received a clock that had belonged to his father, the Seer of Lublin.
When the shiva (first seven days of mourning) for his father ended, Rabbi Yosef set off for his home in Tulchin. On the way, it began raining heavily. The roads were soon flooded, making it impossible to go on. Fortunately, Rabbi Yosef found a Jewish inn and decided to stop there until the storm ended.
After three days the rain stopped, at which time Rabbi Yosef was more than ready to leave. The innkeeper, let us call him Zev, presented Rabbi Yosef with the bill that Rabbi Yosef could not pay. He offered Zev any of his possessions as payment, and after some consideration, Zev chose the clock.
Zev hung the clock in a back room of the inn, wound it up, gave the pendulum a swing, and the clock began ticking away. Every hour the clock rang out the time in an appropriate number of chimes.
At first, Zev and his wife were thrilled when they heard the clock chime, but as time passed, they paid it little attention.
Years later a rabbi came to stay at the inn and was given the room where the clock hung.
That night, Zev, though exhausted, could not sleep. From the rabbi's room came sounds of beautiful singing and the sound of dancing. And when the clock struck the hour, the music took on an added quality of joy!
Zev decided he would ask the rabbi in the morning what this great joy was all about. With this thought in mind, he fell fast asleep.
The following morning, the rabbi, as if reading Zev's mind, said:
"You must be wondering why I was so joyous last night, but I am wondering where you got the clock!
Zev could not understand the connection between of the two things but told the Rabbi the story of rabbi Yosef and how he acquired the clock.
"I see you have no idea what a bargain you got," said the Rabbi. "This clock belonged to my saintly rabbi, the Seer of Lublin. As soon as I heard the chiming, I recognized it!"
"A clock is a clock," mumbled Zev.
"Let me explain what a clock really is," offered the Rabbi. "People think a clock is for the telling them when to get up, go to work, eat, sleep. That is nonsense. People lived for thousands of years without clocks. An animal doesn't need a clock to show it when to do these things."
"True," said Zev, waiting for more.
"A clock reminds people that there is such a thing as time in this world. When G-d created the world, He created time. The minute and hour hand on the clock remind us that each minute and every hour G-d gives life to the whole world and sustains us.
"A clock is indeed a great thing," Zev called out enthusiastically.
"That is not all," continued the rabbi. "The clock also reminds us that time is passing, and we must watch and guard it. Anything lost can be found, except for time, which can never be recovered. When the clock chimes, it makes us consider if we have filled the passing hour in a worthwhile manner."
"Oh, Rabbi, when I think of how many hours I have wasted," Zev cried out.
"Don't be downhearted," the rabbi said encouragingly. "Do you know that the Hebrew word for hour also means 'a turn'? Do you know what 'a turn' is? Imagine a person walking carelessly along a dangerous road, till he reaches a cliff. Suddenly, he realizes where he is and quickly turns around. This turn immediately saves him, even before he has managed to take the steps away from the danger. In one hour or with one turn toward the right path a person can change his whole life."
"How wonderful!" Zev marveled.
"Now, I shall tell you the really exciting secret of this clock, the clock of my saintly Rebbe.
"This clock is exceptionally perfect and wonderful, for in addition to all the previously mentioned virtues, the clock has a most happy chime. Every chime rings out like a message of good news, as if to tell us that an hour of Exile has passed and we are now one hour nearer to the complete and final Redemption with Moshiach."
"Now," the Rabbi asked Zev, "Can you understand why I rejoiced so much the whole night? I heard the chime of the clock, recognized it, and celebrated with fervor."
