During the Turkish rule, there lived in Israel a poor Jewish woodchopper. Although he worked hard day after day, his livelihood remained meager. His unfortunate wife was beside herself, watching helplessly as their small children cried from hunger. With six children and the seventh on the way, the husband became desperate.
Out of sheer hopelessness, the husband decided to take his own life. He set out for the forest with 8()#A,,3[58,<<($.#6$(B'#%$3#-'5(/'3#/8'#=$%1#5,$B'))(,$>
Suddenly a gray-bearded old man ran up to him. "What are you doing, old man? I have enough troubles without your interference!" he cried.
The old man sat patiently with the distraught husband and calmed his nerves. He revealed that he was none other than Elijah the Prophet, and he would entreat G-d to bring the poor man success in his livelihood. The poor man wept tears of relief and joy.
"How soon can I expect help?" the man inquired. "In about two months," Elijah replied.
The poor man went home and related the happening to his wife, and the two of them waited expectantly for their luck to change.
After two months Elijah appeared to him again, and told him that in Heaven it was determined /8%/#B,-#/8'(-#)(/7%/(,$#/,#(<-,D'0#/8'"#&7)/#&,D'#/,#%#3(㑅'-'$/#5(/"> C8'#B%&(1"#&,D'3#%/#,$5'#B-,&#G'-7)%1'&#/,#G%㑅%0#B71=11($.#/8'#<-,<8'/W)#($)/-75/(,$>#b<,$# %--(D($.#($#%#4'%7/(B71#<%-6#($#G%㑅%0#/8'"#)%A#%#5-,A3#,B#<',<1'#$'%-#%#.-'%/#<%1%5'>#C8'#&%$# walked over to see what was happening. An Arab was accepting bids on the palace which was for sale.
"Who will bid more than ten thousand pounds?" he asked. The poor man spoke up and said, "Ten thousand one hundred"
The Arab auctioneer looked at the ragged beggar who had interrupted him, and with one kick, sent him rolling on the ground.
Later that night the Arab happened to look out of the window of the palace and he saw the man he had kicked and his pregnant wife and bedraggled children all sitting and shivering from cold. He took pity on them and brought them into the palace. "Come inside. There is one small room you may use, but only until my master returns."
It was almost midnight when the woman roused her husband to announce that she was about /,#.(D'#4(-/8>#;B/'-#/8'#4%4"#A%)#4,-$0#/8'#&%$#A'$/#,7/#/,#=$3#),&'#A%/'-#/,#51'%$#/8'#58(13> As he groped in the garden searching for a stream of water, he stumbled on a metal ring. He pulled on it and suddenly the ground below opened, revealing a subterranean staircase.
C8'#&%$#3')5'$3'3#($/,#%#/-'%)7-'#8,7)'#=11'3#A(/8#.'&)#%$3#.,13#5,($)>#C8'#&%$W)#'"')#A'-'# drawn to pearls which lay in a chest.
U'#=11'3#8()#<,56'/#A(/8#<-'5(,7)#<'%-1)#%$3#/8'$#5%-'B711"#1'B/#%$3#-'/7-$'3#/,#/8'#<%1%5'> The following day, he approached the Arab again saying that he wanted to buy the palace. This time the Arab laughed.
]?,$W/#1%7.80#&"#B-('$30#B,-#2#8%D'#D'-"#D%17%41'#<'%-1)#A8(58#2#($/'$3#/,#)'11>]#U'#/,,6#,7/#%# pearl and showed it to the Arab.
"If you are so rich, why are you all wearing rags?" the Arab asked.
"If I dressed in rich clothing, I would only attract robbers. This way my family and I are safe."
"You are a wise man," said the Arab, admiringly.
The poor man then took one pearl and instructed the Arab to go around to the local pearl merchants and see what kind of price the pearl would fetch.
C8'#;-%4#3(3#%)#8'#A%)#%)6'30#%$3#/8'#8()#)7-<-()'0#/8'#=-)/#&'-58%$/#-'B7)'3#/,#47"#/8'#<'%-10# saying, "It is far too expensive for me, but go to so-and-so and he will certainly purchase it from you."
The pearl fetched 1,600 pounds and the Arab ran back to the Jew to announce the sale. A deed to the palace was soon drawn up, and the Jew was the new owner. The man never disclosed the source of his wealth.
The newly rich man inquired locally what would be a good investment. He was told to buy up all the skins from the slaughterhouses for a year.
This he did, establishing great tanneries, employing many Jews in his A,-60#%$3#<%"($.#/8'&#%#=$'#A%.'>#U'#4'5,&'#,$'#,B#/8'#A'%1/8(')/# men in the city, dispensing charity with an open hand.
One day as he was strolling through the streets, he saw Elijah the c-,<8'/#%$3#-%$#/,#8(&>#]?,$W/#",7#-'5,.$(+'#&'d]#/8'#&%$#%)6'30#47/# /8'#<-,<8'/#3(3$W/>#C8'#&%$#-'&($3'3#8(&#,B#8,A#8'#8%3#A%$/'3#/,# take his own life and was stopped by the prophet.
He continued telling him how he had changed his place, according to /8'#<-,<8'/W)#($)/-75/(,$>
"From your appearance I see that your fortune has changed and you are indeed a wealthy man. I want you to know that your change in fortune A%)#5'-/%($1"#($97'$5'3#4"#",7-#&,D'#/,#%#3(㑅'-'$/#5(/"0#B,-#%)#(/#()# )%(30#W:8'$#,$'#58%$.')#8()#<1%5'0#8'#58%$.')#8()#1756>W But the main reason your luck changed was the birth of your seventh child, for every child brings with him into this world his own unique &%+%1#e.,,3#B,-/7$'f0#%$3#/8()#()#/8'#&%+%1#,B#/8()#58(13>]
