Kept in Line by the Stick
One of my prized possessions is the walking stick of my grandfather, the tzaddik, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a. This cane is priceless in my eyes. I would never sell it for all the money in the world.
One day, I had an urge to hold this cane in my hands. I searched for it throughout the house, but could not find it. I tried to remember the last place I had seen it. But to no avail. I could not find the elusive stick anywhere.
- The walking stick of the tzaddik, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a
Needless to say, I was greatly disturbed by this. The lost stick gave me no rest, and I was very troubled for a long time afterward.
Finally, my grandfather had pity on me. He appeared to me in a dream one night and said, “Today you will find the stick.”
But upon awakening, I did not give the dream much credence. I had been thinking about the cane for so many weeks. That was certainly the reason why I dreamed about it at night.
To my utter surprise, a woman approached me that very day, returning the precious stick. She could not stop thanking me for lending it to her.
I was in a state of shock. I had no recollection whatsoever of lending her the stick. Throughout the long weeks of my lamenting its loss, I never remembered giving it to anyone. I was sure the stick had been stolen or had simply disappeared into thin air.
This incident drove home the point that often Hashem wants to remind us Who is the Manager of this world in its every detail. At times, one feels he is in control of his own life. Hashem sends him reminders to help him banish such thoughts and keep in mind Who is the Master of the House.
This is what happened with the walking stick. I thought I could take charge of it and protect it from harm. Hashem therefore sent me the message that He runs the world.
