סיפורי מעשיות משנים קדמוניות-מעשה ה - מבן מלך שהיה מאבנים טובות Tale 5: The King's Son Who Was Made of Gemstones
- מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמֶלֶךְ אֶחָד שֶׁלּא הָיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים וְהָלַךְ וְעָסַק בְּדָאקְטוֹרִים [רופאים], כְּדֵי שֶׁלּא תִּהְיֶה מַלְכוּתוֹ נֶהְפֶּכֶת לְזָרִים וְלא הוֹעִילוּ לוֹ וְגָזַר עַל הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ בַּעֲבוּרוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים וְהָיוּ הַיְּהוּדִים מְבַקְּשִׁים וּמְחַפְּשִׂים צַדִּיק, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל וְיִפְעַל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים וּבִקְּשׁוּ וּמָצְאוּ צַדִּיק גָּנוּז וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לְהַמֶּלֶךְ בָּנִים. There was once a king who had no children. He went and got involved with doctors so that his kingdom should not be turned over to strangers, but they did not help him. So he decreed on the Jews to pray for him to have children. The Jews sought a tzaddik to pray and cause it happen that the king should have children.1See Midrash Tanchuma Vayetze 16: that while Hashem retains to himself (in general; see Taanit 2a) the keys for rain, sustenance, revival of the dead and childbirth, He will grant these to tzaddikim. And Midrash Tanchuma Va'eira 22, Bamidbar Rabbah 14 and Zohar Vol. 1, 45b: "See how beloved tzaddikim are to Hashem, for whatever they do and decree, Hashem confirms it and fulfills it." And Shabbat 59b: "The tzaddik decrees, and Hakadosh Barukh Hu fulfills." And Moed Katan 16b: "I rule man. Who rules me? The tzaddik! For I make a decree and he can annul it." Et. al. They sought and found a hidden tzaddik, and they told him to pray for the king to have children.
וְעָנָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל וְהוֹדִיעוּ לְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְשָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקֻדָּתוֹ אַחֲרָיו וְהֵבִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ לְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהִתְחִיל הַמֶּלֶךְ לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בְּטוֹב. הֲלא אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁהַיְּהוּדִים הֵם בְּיָדִי לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם כִּרְצוֹנִי עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ מִמְּךָ בְּטוֹב שֶׁתִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לִי בָּנִים. He replied: he knows nothing at all [gar nisht]; they informed the king (inasmuch as there was a hidden tzaddik there, but he said he knew gar nisht). The king sent a royal order for him, and they brought him before the king. The king began talking kindly with him, "You know very well that the Jews are in my hands. I can do with them what I will. Therefore I ask you with goodness, pray that I have children."
וְהִבְטִיחַ לוֹ שֶׁיִהְיֶה לוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה וָלָד וְהָלַךְ לִמְקוֹמוֹ וְיָלְדָה הַמַּלְכָּה בַּת וְהָיְתָה אוֹתָהּ הַבַּת מַלְכָּה יְפַת תּאַר מְאד וּכְשֶׁהָיְתָה בַּת אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת וּלְזַמֵּר בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר, וְהָיְתָה יוֹדַעַת כָּל הַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת וְהָיוּ נוֹסְעִים מְלָכִים מִכָּל הַמְּדִינוֹת לִרְאוֹתָהּ וְהָיָה שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ. The tzaddik ensured the king that same year he would have a child, and he went home. The queen bore a daughter, and this queen's daughter was extremely beautiful. When she was four years old, she knew all the wisdoms and languages, and could play musical instruments. Kings from all countries would travel to see her, and it was a great joy for the king.
אַחַר כָּךְ נִכְסַף הַמֶּלֶךְ מְאד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ בֵּן כְּדֵי שֶׁלּא תִּהְיֶה מֻסֶּבֶת מַלְכוּתוֹ לְאִישׁ זָר וְגָזַר שׁוּב עַל הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ בֵּן וְהָיוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים וּמְחַפְּשִׂים אֶת הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל וְלא מָצְאוּ אוֹתוֹ, כִּי כְּבָר נִפְטַר. Afterwards the king very much wanted to have a son so that his kingdom should not go away to a stranger, so he again decreed on the Jews that they should pray for him to have a son. They were searching for the first tzaddik, but they could not find him, for he had already passed away.
וּבִקְּשׁוּ עוֹד וּמָצְאוּ עוֹד צַדִּיק גָּנוּז וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁיִּתֵּן לְהַמֶּלֶךְ בֵּן וְאָמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל וְהוֹדִיעוּ לְהַמֶּלֶךְ, וְאָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ גַּם כֵּן כַּנַּ"ל: הֲלא הַיְּהוּדִים בְּיָדִי וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל אָמַר לוֹ הֶחָכָם [הַיְנוּ זֶה הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל]: תּוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶּׁאֲצַוֶּה ? אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ: הֵן. They continued searching and they found another hidden tzaddik. And they told him that he should give the king a son, and he said that he does not know anything. Again they informed the king, and the king said to the tzaddik also as before, "You know very well the Jews are in my hand, etc." The sage (that is, this tzaddik) said to him, "But will you be able to do what I order?" The king said, "Yes."
אָמַר לוֹ הֶחָכָם: אֲנִי צָרִיךְ שֶׁתָּבִיא כָּל הַמִּינֵי אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת כִּי כָּל אֶבֶן טוֹב, יֵשׁ לוֹ סְגֻלָּה אַחֶרֶת כִּי יֵשׁ אֵצֶל הַמְּלָכִים סֵפֶר שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ כָּל מִינֵי הָאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ: אֲנִי אוֹצִיא חֲצִי מַלְכוּתִי כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי בֵּן וְהָלַךְ וְהֵבִיא לוֹ כָּל מִינֵי הָאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת. The sage said to him, "I need you to bring all the types of gemstones (lit. good stones), because each gemstone has in it a different segulah (ability, charm)." And by the kings there is a book wherein are written all the types of gemstones. The king said, "I will spend half my kingdom in order to have a son." And the king went and brought him all the types of gemstones.
וּלְקָחָם הֶחָכָם וֶהֱדִקָּם [פורר אותם] וְלָקַח כּוֹס יַיִן וּנְתָנָם לְתוֹכוֹ וְנָתַן חֲצִי הַכּוֹס לְהַמֶּלֶךְ לִשְׁתּוֹת וְחֶצְיָהּ לְהַמַּלְכָּה וְאָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם בֵּן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כֻּלּוֹ מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וְיִהְיוּ בּוֹ כָּל הַסְּגֻלּוֹת שֶׁל כָּל הָאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וְהָלַךְ לִמְקוֹמוֹ. The sage took them and ground them, and took a goblet of wine and poured them in the wine. And he gave a half cup of wine to the king to drink, and the other half to the queen. And he told them that they would have a son who would be thoroughly of gemstones, and he would have in him all the seguloth of all the gemstones, and he went home.
וְיָלְדָה בֵּן וְנַעֲשָׂה שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַבֵּן הַנּוֹלַד לא הָיָה מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת כְּשֶׁהָיָה הַבֵּן בֶּן אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים הָיָה יְפֵה תּאַר מְאד וְחָכָם גָּדוֹל בְּכָל הַחָכְמוֹת, וְהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ כָּל הַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת וְהָיוּ נוֹסְעִים מְלָכִים לִרְאוֹתוֹ וְהַבַּת מַלְכָּה רָאֲתָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ חֲשׁוּבָה כָּל כָּךְ וְנִתְקַנְּאָה בּוֹ רַק זאת הָיָה נֶחָמָתָהּ בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הַצַּדִּיק אָמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כֻּלּוֹ מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת טוֹב שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת. The queen gave birth to a son, and the king rejoiced very greatly, but the son that was born was not made of gemstones. When the son was four years old, he was extremely handsome, very wise in all the wisdoms, and knew all the languages. Kings traveled to see him. Now, the princess saw that she was no longer so important, and she was jealous of him. The only consolation for her was that the tzaddik had said that he would be completely of gemstones; good that at least he was not made of gemstones.
פַּעַם אַחַת הָיָה הַבֶּן מֶלֶךְ מְחַתֵּךְ עֵצִים וְנִקַּף בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ וְרָצְתָה הַבַּת מַלְכָּה לִכְרךְ אֶת אֶצְבָּעוֹ וְרָאֲתָה שָׁם אֶבֶן טוֹב וְנִתְקַנְּאָה בּוֹ מְאד וְעָשְׂתָה עַצְמָהּ חוֹלָה וּבָאוּ כַּמָּה דָּאקְטוֹרִים, וְלא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהּ רְפוּאָה וְקָרְאוּ לַמְכַשְּׁפִים וְהָיָה שָׁם מְכַשֵּׁף וְגִלְּתָה לוֹ הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁהִיא עָשְׂתָה עַצְמָהּ חוֹלָה כַּנַּ"ל. Once, the prince was carving wood and he nicked his finger. The princess ran to bandage his finger and she saw a gemstone there. She was extremely jealous of him, and she made herself sick. Many doctors came but were unable to heal her at all. Sorcerers were called. A sorcerer was there, to whom she disclosed the truth, that she had made herself sick because of her brother, as mentioned.
וְשָׁאֲלָה אוֹתוֹ אִם יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּשּׁוּף לְאָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מְצרָע אָמַר: הֵן אָמְרָה לוֹ: אוּלַי יְבַקֵּשׁ מְכַשֵּׁף שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל הַכִּשּׁוּף וְיִתְרַפֵּא אָמַר הַמְכַשֵּׁף: אִם יַשְׁלִיכוּ הַכִּשּׁוּף אֶל הַמַּיִם, לא יוּכְלוּ לְבַטְּלוֹ עוֹד וְעָשְׂתָה כֵּן, וְהִשְׁלִיכָה הַכִּשּׁוּף אֶל הַמַּיִם. And she asked the sorcerer if it were possible to perform a spell on a man to become leprous. He said, "Yes." She said to the sorcerer, "What if he asks another sorcerer to annul the spell so that he will be healed?" The sorcerer said, "If the sorcery is thrown into the water, it can no longer be annulled." She did so and threw the sorcery into the water.
וְנַעֲשָׂה הַבֶּן מֶלֶךְ מְצרָע מְאד [וְהָיָה לוֹ] עַל חָטְמוֹ צָרַעַת וְעַל פָּנָיו וְעַל שְׁאָר גוּפוֹ וְעָסַק הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּדָקְטוֹרִים וּבִמְכַשְּׁפִים וְלא הוֹעִילוּ וְגָזַר עַל הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ, וּבִקְּשׁוּ הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל וְהֵבִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ לַמֶּלֶךְ. The prince became very leprous. He had leprosy on his nose, on his face and on the rest of his body. The king got involved with doctors and with sorcerers, but they were of no avail. The king decreed on the Jews to pray. The Jews sought the tzaddik (who had prayed for the king to have a son, as mentioned), and brought him before the king.
וְהַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל תָּמִיד לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁהוּא הָיָה מַבְטִיחַ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַבֶּן מֶלֶךְ כֻּלּוֹ מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת, וְלא הָיָה כֵּן וְהָיָה טוֹעֵן לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ: הַאִם עָשִׂיתִי זאת בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדִי ? לא עָשִׂיתִי כִּי אִם בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדְךָ וְעַכְשָׁו לא נִתְקַיֵּם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי וּבָא הַצַּדִּיק לְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל וְלא הוֹעִיל וְהוֹדִיעוּ לוֹ שֶׁהוּא כִּשּׁוּף. Now, this tzaddik would always pray before Hashem Yithbarakh, inasmuch as he had promised the king that his son would be completely made of gemstones, and it had not been fulfilled. And he complained to the Eybishter (the Most High; God), "Have I done this for honor's sake? I have done this only for Your honor, and now, it has not been fulfilled the way I said." And the tzaddik came to the king. The tzaddik had prayed (namely, for the leprosy of the prince to be healed), but to no avail. He was informed that it was sorcery.
וְהַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל הָיָה גָּבוֹהַּ לְמַעְלָה מִן כָּל הַכְּשָׁפִים וּבָא הַצַּדִּיק וְהוֹדִיעַ לְהַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהוּא כִּשּׁוּף וְשֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוּ הַכִּשּׁוּף לַמַּיִם וְאֵין תַּקָּנָה לְהַבֶּן מֶלֶךְ כִּי אִם שֶׁיַּשְׁלִיכוּ הַמְכַשֵּׁף שֶׁעָשָׂה הַכִּשּׁוּף לַמַּיִם אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ: אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ כָּל הַמְכַשְּׁפִים לְהַשְׁלִיכָם לַמַּיִם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְרַפֵּא בְּנִי. Now, this tzaddik was higher than all sorcery. The tzaddik came and informed the king that it was a sorcery, and that the sorcery had been thrown into the water, so the prince could not be healed except by throwing the sorcerer who performed the spell into the water. The king said, "I give you all the sorcerers to throw into the water so that my son be healed."
וְנִתְיָרְאָה הַבַּת מַלְכָּה וְרָצְתָה אֶל הַמַּיִם לְהוֹצִיא הַכִּשּׁוּף מִן הַמַּיִם כִּי הָיְתָה יוֹדַעַת הֵיכָן מֻנָּח הַכִּשּׁוּף וְנָפְלָה אֶל הַמַּיִם וְנַעֲשָׂה רַעַשׁ גָּדוֹל שֶׁהַבַּת מֶלֶךְ נָפְלָה אֶל הַמַּיִם וּבָא הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל וְאָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁהַבֶּן מֶלֶךְ יִתְרַפֵּא וְנִתְרַפֵּא, וְנִתְיַבֵּשׁ הַצָּרַעַת וְנָפַל וְנִקְלַף כָּל הָעוֹר מִמֶּנּוּ וְנַעֲשָׂה מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת כֻּלּוֹ וְהָיָה לוֹ כָּל הַסְּגֻלּוֹת שֶׁל כָּל הָאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת [הַיְנוּ כִּי אַחַר שֶׁנִּקְלַף הָעוֹר אָז נִתְגַּלָּה וְנִרְאָה שֶׁהַבֶּן מֶלֶךְ הוּא כֻּלּוֹ מֵאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל] The princess was afraid, so she ran to the water to pull the sorcery out of the water, for she knew where it was. She fell into the water. A great tumult erupted over the princess' falling into the water. The tzaddik came and said that the prince would be healed. And he was healed, the leprosy withered up and fell off, and his entire skin peeled off. And he was entirely of gemstones, as the tzaddik had said.