By Judy Git - Rosh Hashanah - 1992
Narrator: Once upon a time there was a very poor man named, Shmuel. Shmuel sold rags and used items to other poor people who could not afford to buy new things.
Shmuel: Rags! Used shoes! Used clothing - almost as good as new! Who will buy my rags?
[SEVERAL WOMEN FINGER HIS MERCHANDISE AND WALK AWAY. ONE REMAINS.]
Woman: How much for this?
Shmuel: 50 kopeks.
Woman: FIFTY!! Oy! a ganef! [WALKS OFF]
Narrator: Shmuel barely made enough money to keep his family fed or even clothed in rags like those he sold.
The High Holy Days were approaching and Shmuel's wife and children needed new clothes, but he had no money to buy them.
Wife: So, Shmuel, what can I wear for Rosh Hashanah? Even my Shabbat clothes are rags.
Daughter: What about me, Aba?
Son: And me? What about me?
Narrator: Shmuel was very sad. How could he provide for his wife and children? He didn't even know if he would have food on the table for Yom Tov. He decided to go to the synagogue to pray.
As he approached the synagogue, he heard the Amidah being recited, and he joined in. Then the congregation reached a special phrase.
Congregation: [READ THE "SHMA KOLENU" IN HEBREW AND ENGLISH.]
Shmuel: Yes, G-d! Oh Please! Hear my voice, please! Have mercy on me and my family. Accept our prayers with mercy!
Narrator: Days passed, and Shmuel's life didn't get any easier. Still he sold rags, and still he barely made a living. It looked like there would be no new clothes or good food for Yom Tov.
One day, after Shmuel had bought some rags from some rich people, he was sorting them out, getting ready to sell them the next day. Among the rags was an old shirt, which had been expensive and beautiful when it was new. Shmuel noticed a bulge in a pocket of the shirt. What could it be?
Shmuel: What's this? [PULLS OUT RING] Oy! it's a diamond ring! It's worth a lot of money!
Wife: We can buy food! We can buy clothes!
Children: Food! Clothes!
Narrator: But Shmuel could not, in good conscience, just take the ring. He was certain that the rich man who had sold him the old shirt hadn't meant to leave it in the pocket. But his family certainly needed the money more than the rich man did! What should he do?
For many days Shmuel struggled with his conscience. Every day he went to the synagogue and prayed for an answer. And his wife and children remained hungry and in rags.
Finally, he realized that he could not enjoy his newfound riches if he knew inside that he was a thief. He decided to return the ring.
Shmuel tried not to look at his hungry family as he left that day to return the ring, for his conscience bothered him also about leaving them so poor when he could have made life better for them.
Finally, he arrived at the home of the rich man and was taken to see him.
Rich Man: You're Shmuel, the rag seller, aren't you?
Shmuel: Yes, sir.
Rich Man: Well, I just sold you all the rags I had a week ago. I don't have any more.
Shmuel: One of the shirts you sold me had this ring in a pocket. I am returning it.
Narrator: The rich man took the ring, held it in his hand, and looked at it for a long time before he spoke.
Rich Man: Do you realize that this is a very valuable ring?
Shmuel: Yes, sir.
Rich Man: And yet, you return it to me!
Shmuel: Yes, sir.
Rich Man: This ring belonged to my wife's grandmother, of blessed memory. My wife has been searching for it for a long time. Its value to her is much greater than the value of the diamond or the gold. You are an honest man, Shmuel. I am opening a new store in town, and I need an honest man to manage it for me. I will pay 200 kopeks a week. Do you want the job?
Narrator: Shmuel couldn't believe his ears. Two hundred kopecks! Every week! He could put food on the table! He could buy his family new clothes! This was money that he would get every" week - not just once.
And, as if that weren't enough, the rich man immediately gave Shmuel a reward for returning the ring.
That evening, Shmuel went to the synagogue to give a prayer of thanks. He remembered praying that G-d would hear his voice and accept his prayer. His prayer had been answered.
That night Shmuel had a dream. In it, angels appeared to him and said,
Angel 1: Shmuel, you are a righteous man, an honest man.
Angel 2: When those who strive to be honest and righteous pray to G-d, the angels in Heaven help them in their prayers.
Angel 1: Listen!
[ALL CHILDREN SING THE "SHMA KOLENU"]
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