Rabbi Shlomo Luria zt"l
Rabbi of Ostrow and Lublin
Author: Chochmas Shlomo, Yam Shel Shlomo
12 Kislev 5334 (1573)
And the man received his answer before he even managed to open his mouth and ask.
Rav Yaakov Galinsky told over the following story he heard as a child.
A man came to the port in Odessa. He saw ships coming and unloading their freight, merchandise imported from other countries, then refilling with fresh loads to export abroad.
While the man was watching, he suddenly noticed a ship being filled up with heavy stones. He went to the captain and asked him, “Sir, I could understand if you were loading your ship with fresh produce or merchandise, but stones? Aren’t there enough stones at you arrival destination?”
The captain replied, “the answer is simple, a ship that sails empty is liable to lose its balance and sink at the slightest storm. It must have carry a minimum weight that it sinks partially into the water. All the other ships have freight to export, but I have nothing to take with me, I am off to bring back freight. I can’t go empty, so I have to fill the ship with stones that it will remain stable.”
Let us remember, if we don’t carry merchandise, then we end up carrying useless heavy stones!
