A Rosh Hashanah Story about Special Needs
Once during the High Holiday prayers, the Baal Shem Tov cried and entreated more than usually. The disciples understood that there was a great prosecution Above and the situation was grave, and they also intensified their prayers and crying. When the rest of the congregation saw this, their hearts were shattered and they also joined the impassioned supplication.
A Jewish peasant boy came to the big town to celebrate the Holidays. He didn’t know how to pray. He could not even read the letter Alef. He only saw that everyone was traveling to the synagogues to participate in the holy prayers. He thought, “If everybody is going to town I must go too!”
He arrived at the town synagogue with his father and watched the congregants crying and singing together swaying to and fro.
He turned to his father and asked, “Father, what is this all about?”
His father turned to him and said, “The Holy One blessed be sits enthroned in the heavens and we pray all year long to Him. We especially pray during these two days of Rosh Hashanah when the whole world is being judged and each person is being judged for the rest of the year.”
The son responded, “Father, what am I to do since I am unable to pray?”
His father quickly said to him condescendingly, “All you have to do is be quiet and listen to the other Jews praying. That is enough for you.”
“But Father, if I don’t know what these people are saying how is that going to effect God’s decision? How is being silent going to help me?”
His father became unnerved and blurted out, “Listen, you should be quiet so no one will know you’re an ignorant peasant!”
The son stood still for a couple of minutes as his father and the rest of the congregation continued praying and then - the young boy stood up and spoke loudly.
I am a village dweller, I know only the sounds made by all the different farm animals, and best of all I know the rooster’s crowing. I have heard the weeping and the outcries of the other congregants and my heart is shattered and I too cry out... Cock-a-doodle-do! G‑d, have mercy!”
His father was enraged. The boy continued to call out with all his might not caring what other people thought. The worshippers in the synagogue were confused to hear a voice crowing like a rooster, and a few of them scolded him to quiet him down, and would have thrown him out if he had not protested, “I am also a Jew.”
The confusion was pierced by the voice of the Baal Shem Tov, followed by the disciples as they hurried to finish the prayer. The face of the Baal Shem Tov shone, and with a special melody the repetition of the Amidah commenced.
As Rosh Hashana ended, the Baal Shem Tov related to his disciples that there had been an accusation leveled in heaven, with the prosecution seeking to have a particular community sentenced to destruction.
As he aroused divine mercy on the community, a great prosecution was aroused against him for encouraging Jews to settle in villages and out-of-the-way places, where they were likely to be influenced by their gentile neighbors. When he began to examine the behavior of the village dwellers, he saw that the situation was very grave.
However, suddenly the sound of the call of the village dweller was heard in heaven, and its sincerity brought great pleasure above, nullifying all the prosecutions.
This story shows how all Jews no matter how they pray be they a farm dweller, a person with different abilities or just someone that doesn't know the prayers have an equal voice in the face of the Holy One Blessed-Be-He!
Shana Tovah!