Their joy knew no bounds. Their only son grew and flourished into a fine and admirable young boy. His devoted parents poured endless love and warmth upon him, as was fitting and proper for their beloved only child, the prince of their home.
One day, the beloved son fell gravely ill, unfortunately contracting a severe and dangerous disease that posed a threat to his life. His loving father cared for him with boundless devotion. Driven by his great love for his son, he spared no effort to heal and restore him. He spent a significant fortune bringing the finest doctors to his bedside. Renowned specialists and experts came from near and far to find a cure for the critically ill child. The father, constantly worried and anxious for his son’s wellbeing, barely left his bedside. With Hashem’s help, the merciful and faithful Healer, the child eventually recovered and regained his strength.
After his recovery, the son expressed heartfelt gratitude to his devoted father for his loving care and compassion. He said, “Father, I have always known how much you love me, but during my grave illness, I truly realized the depth of your love. I saw your extraordinary concern, your unwavering dedication to all my needs, and how you never left me for even a single day during my sickness.”
Out of the great love that had now deepened between them, the son grew closer to his devoted father, and they began to spend a fixed time together every day in the luxurious parlor of the palace. The father dedicated this hour of tranquil joy to bond with his beloved son, listening to him, discussing everything in his life, and addressing his needs. The time was especially precious and pleasant for both of them, as the son made it a daily practice to bring a distinguished steaming cup of tea, served on a golden tray, and present it to his esteemed father.
One day, however, when the son entered to meet his father as usual, he did not bring the tea. When the father inquired why today was different and why he had come empty-handed, the son apologized, explaining that he felt weak and didn’t have the strength to prepare the tea.
The father immediately became alarmed and, with great concern, asked, “What happened? Could it be, chas veshalom, that the old illness has returned? Or perhaps some dangerous infection has taken hold?” The son quickly reassured his father, explaining that there was no illness at all, not even the slightest hint of one. “It’s just a bit of weakness that made me feel slightly lazy about preparing the tea... but it’s nothing serious.”
As expected, the devoted father was neither calm nor convinced. “One does not play around with health!” he declared firmly. He immediately summoned the city’s most renowned professor to thoroughly examine his cherished and pampered only son, who had suddenly become a little weak, wasn’t feeling great, and even coughed once or twice.
Soon enough, the expert physician arrived at the palace gates—not without first collecting a hefty fee. He conducted a comprehensive and detailed examination and concluded that the son was completely healthy. The esteemed doctor issued a clear diagnosis: “The patient is perfectly fine and requires no medication! It is simply temporary fatigue. Let the boy rest at home for a day to regain his strength.”
Following the doctor’s advice, the son remained in his luxurious room that day to rest, recover, and regain his energy.
To the son’s astonishment, throughout the entire day, his loving father constantly inquired about his well-being and hovered around his bedside. The father repeatedly entered his room to ensure his son’s comfort, personally served him a delicious, hearty meal and a soothing cup of tea, going to great lengths to make his son’s rest as pleasant as possible.
The son, puzzled by his father’s intense concern, finally asked, “I don’t understand. When I was seriously ill, I understood your worry and your tireless efforts to ensure my recovery from that dreadful illness. But now, as the doctor clearly stated, I’m not sick at all. I’m just resting a little to regain my strength. Why are you so anxious about me today?”
The father responded with deep emotion, “I doubt you can fully comprehend my heart... Listen to what I have to say. My love for you is immense, far greater than you can imagine. You were born to us after many years of pain and lengthy anticipation, and my heart is bound to you with an unbreakable and profound love. Therefore, even though I knew perfectly well that there is no illness, only minor fatigue that you’ll recover from easily, my closeness to you and the burning love within me would not allow me to refrain from caring for your every need today, so that you may quickly return to full strength.”
From that day onward, the son’s affection for his father grew immensely, multiplying many times over, as it is written (Mishlei 27:19), As water reflects a face, so does one person’s heart to another. After witnessing, on a day when he barely required his father’s care and could have managed all his needs independently, how his father nevertheless continued to ensure that everything was perfectly arranged for him so he would not have to exert himself in his weakened state, the son came to realize the boundless love his father had for him. If he had previously estimated the depth of his father’s love during his serious illness, he now saw that it was far greater than he had ever imagined. Thus, on that very day, his affection for his father grew tenfold.
