All for the best
Author: Sraya Tanami
Illustrator: Jonathan Ben-shaul
The act of Rabbi Akiva who walked on the road, with him a donkey and a rooster. The donkey helped Rabbi Akiva carry the burden of the road. The rooster woke Rabbi Akiva when the sun was rising and beginning to shine. Rabbi Akiva also took a candle for light during the hours of darkness.
Today when the sun went down, and it was almost dark, Rabbi Akiva knew he had to get ready to go to bed. He looked at the horizon, and saw a city not far away. Rabbi Akiva is very happy that he does not sleep alone at night.
Rabbi Akiva hurried to the city, but when he reached it, he discovered to his surprise that the locals were not willing to give him a place to sleep. At that moment, Rabbi Akiva could feel lonely and sad. but no! Rabbi Akiva believed that if he was not given a place to sleep in this city, it was for the better. He said, "Everything that the Blessed One does is all for the best."
What did Rabbi Akiva do? Went to sleep in a field near the town. Alone in the field, Rabbi Akiva lit the candle so that it would have some light in the darkness. Rabbi Akiva's candle had such a beautiful light that it seemed to illuminate the entire field.
But suddenly a surprising and strange thing happened!
A lion emerged from the trees, and ate the donkey. Immediately afterwards, a cat appeared, as if coming to visit. But he was actually looking for dinner, and he ate the rooster.
Rabbi Akiva was left without the donkey that helped him along the way, and without the rooster he loved to croak at sunrise.
Rabbi Akiva looked at the beautiful light of the candle, until suddenly a strong wind began to blow. She reached for the candle, turned out its light, and left darkness in the field.
Rabbi Akiva looked into the dark field, and again knew: If this is what happens, it is for the best! And again, he said: "Everything that the Blessed One does is all for the best."
In the morning, Rabbi Akiva woke up and learned what had happened that night:
That night enemy soldiers arrived in the nearby town, and captured the townspeople. Yes, the city whose residents did not give Rabbi Akiva a place to stay. Had he been hosted, Rabbi Akiva would have been captured by the enemy.
Rabbi Akiva thought: "What luck that I am not such a hero to fight lions. What luck that cats like to eat chickens. Lucky that the wind cannot be stopped. For if the donkey were alive, he was shaking out, and if the rooster were alive, he was croaking, and if the candle were lit, it would illuminate the field. And from the noise of the beasts and the light of the candle the enemies would come here".
The silence and darkness kept Rabbi Akiva. Thus, he slept peacefully, and arose with light in his heart. Rabbi Akiva said to his disciples: This is what I believed and said: "Everything that the Blessed One does is all for the best."
