One Erev Shabbos, R' Yankel Galinsky entered the butcher to purchase meat for Shabbos. To his surprise, he found the butcher shop turned over. The butcher’s table was moved from side to side, the cash register was dislocated. Looking closer he sees people on their knees searching every nook and cranny. It was clear that Erev Shabbos was put aside until the problem was solved.
R' Yankel approached the butcher to ask what was going on. The butcher said that his wife had come to assist him in the shop, and before working she’d taken off her rings, which were now missing. He was not assisting any buyers till they found the ring. Seeing that his meat order wasn’t going to get filled, R’ Yankel headed out of the store, empty handed.
As he left the store, he saw a cat rummaging between the garbage. He had pounds and pounds of rotten meat, and he was having the feist of his lifetime. He was going from one piece to another. Rummaging through, R' Yankel noticed the cat take something, try biting it, and disappointedly throw it away. It seemed that there was something that he didn’t have an interest in.
When the cat threw it, R' Yankel heard a bang on the floor that sounded like a piece of metal. R' Yankel went to analyze what it was that the cat had rejected. As he approached, he indeed saw a diamond shining out of the garbage. Yes, it was the diamond ring that the butcher, his wife, and all the employers were searching for! It was the cat who threw it away, causing R' Yankel then to find it.
Addressing his audience, R' Yankel said that he had been ready to scream at the cat: “Why are you looking for old meat and leaving the diamond? You had the diamond in your grasp! It could’ve bought you pounds and pounds of fresh meat, and yet you threw it away. Yet, on the other side of the wall, a group of people were searching high and low for that diamond, while you, who has the diamond in your hands, took it and threw it away!
“The goyim are like these cats. They have opportunities and totally disregard them. We, the chosen nation of Hashem, were given this opportunity and were gifted to be able to fulfill His mitzvos. We are the ones getting the diamonds, while the goyim are living life entirely missing the boat. What a shame!”
What an opportunity we have! Let’s treasure it!
