There was once a man named Dimitrious. He was a very rich man. He Thought he was the ruler of the Universe, and could control anything. He made an announcement to the world that he could control everything. If anyone found something that he couldn't control he would give that person anything they could imagine. If the person gets it wrong they will become his slaves.
A few days later there was a big line up at the doors of
Dimitrious's palace. He summoned the first person into the palace.
The first man said: "I bet you can't control me". Dimitrious said:
"Get me some milk". The man said: "I will not get you milk, ever!"
Dimitrious said: "Oh yes?? you will!". As he pulled a knife out of his
pocket, the man ran away to get some milk. Another man came up to
try Dimitrious. He said: "Try to control time." Dimitrious commanded
everybody to bring their clocks to his palace. He took the clocks and
turned all of them back five hours. So the man became his slave.
Several other people tried to trick Dimitrious, but no one succeeded.
Finally a poor beggar came up to the rich man Dimitrious. He said: "I know something you can't control." "What?" Dimitrious said. The poor beggar said, "Control the shabbat." "What is this Shabbat thing you're telling me to control." "Shabbat is a holiday celebrated by Jews. It starts on Friday night and ends on Saturday night and you are not supposed to work." "Well, I could easily tell people to celebrate Shabbat on Monday and work all day." Said Dimitrious. "Oh no you can't." Said the poor beggar. "I will announce that all Jews must celebrate Shabbat on Monday and it will work." Said Dimitrious. "I don't think so, because only G-d can control everything." Said the beggar.
Dimitrious tried to control the Shabbat but everyone obeyed G-d instead. So the beggar commanded that Dimitrious would give him half of everything he owned. Dimitrious eventually started to believe in G-d and studied the laws of the Torah.
One day there was a young Jewish girl named Sarbin. Sarbin had two greedy older sisters. Her family was very rich, until one day, when both her parents died of scarlet fever. Since then Sarbin was the only one of her sisters that kept the Shabbat. Sarbin was also the only one who didn't get didly-squat from her parents' will(because her sisters, who only cared about money, stole what she should have gotten). Even with no money she managed to keep the Shabbat, and teach it to others. Meanwhile her sisters prospered, but didn't keep the laws of Shabbat.
One quiet Friday evening, just before sunset, an old beggar
showed up at the house of Sarbin. She welcomed in the gray haired man
to share the Shabbat with her and her children. After eating his fill
the old man said "You will be rewarded for your kindness, Daughter of
Shabbat." Then, suddenly, he disappeared!
At both her sisters houses a beggar had also appeared, but the sisters did not invite him in. They just sat down to a feast of bacon and much more unkosher food. The old beggar had actually been an angel of God and had cursed the two evil sisters. In the next year things changed around.
The two older sisters were robbed of almost all their belongings, so they had become beggars themselves.
Since everyone had heard of their greediness, no one gave them
anything. Sarbin, on the other hand, had been blessed, for she
had found a large treasure in her back yard while planting a tree.
The tree grew well, and the treasures brought her a lot of food and
money. She gave very generously to the poor, even to her unfortunate
sisters.
