A Jewish Parable

A man once lived in his small house with his wife and six children. The house was loud and crowded. There was no peace to be found. For years his ever patient wife heard his complaints, shouldering the burden, until one day she asked him to go speak to the rabbi.

The man went to his rabbi. "Rabbi, we are too many. Our house is too small. There is too much noise. I cannot think. I cannot breathe. What do I do?"

The rabbi instructed him to go home and bring his six chickens inside his house. The man went home and did as he was told. Three days later he returned to the rabbi.

"Rabbi, we are now even more. The chickens are  pecking away. They poop on our floor. It is louder and messier."

"Go home and also bring your goat into the house," the rabbi instructed.

The man went home and brought the goat into his house. However, after three days he went running back to the rabbi.

"The goat is eating at our furniture. He rams into our legs. Things have only gotten worse."

"Go home and bring your cow into the house as well."

The man went home and brought the cow inside the house. Three days later, he went back to the rabbi once again.

"Rabbi, the house  is filthy and reeks of manure. We can barely move around all the animals. The snorts and moos and sounds of the animals breaking wind keep me awake all night. Rabbi, this is terrible."

"Go home and remove all the animals from your house."

The man went home and did as he was told yet again. Three days later he returned to the rabbi, nearly skipping the entire way, joy radiating from his face.

"Rabbi, thank you so very much. We removed the animals. Our house is clean and calm and quiet now. A man can find rest within its walls."

I love my house filled with people. I love the laughter mixed with mayhem. I love the chaos the comes with joy. And I love the time that comes just after too.

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