happy 2019
31/12/2018 - blog
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Following the tradition to welcome the New Year, here you have a story, this time collected by Penninah Schram, an awesome storyteller I have recently discovered, who has devoted her life in telling stories and folktales, songs and proverbs from the Jewish tradition. The story that I have chosen, that of course includes a tree, comes from the Talmud (Ta’anit 23a) and she used to listen that story from her mother, who also used to listen it from her father… Let’s leave the story follow its travel through time, and us along with it:
There are many stories about Honi ha-Ma’agel, the Circle Maker, a wise man who was specially talented to attract rain. In times of drought, Honi draw a circle on the earth, stepped inside it and after some special prayers, or even arguing with God, as he liked to talk with God directly, the rain always came. Honi also loved to go for a walk and discover the world and its wonders. One day he was going for a walk and he saw a man planting a carob tree. Honi stopped and asked the man how many years would it take for this tree to bear fruit, as he knew that carob trees grow very slow. The man answered peacefully:
―Seventy years.
―And do you think you will live another seventy years and eat the fruit of this tree?
― Perhaps not. However, when I was born into this world, I found many carob trees planted by my father, my grandfather and those before them. Just as they planted trees for me, I am planting trees for my children, grandchildren and those who will come after them, so they will be able to eat the fruit of these trees and enjoy their shadow.
I hope you a happy and leafy new year 2019!
4 responses to “happy 2019”
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Bona Annada,
Lo poton,
Marianne
Bona Annada, Marianne! Quin gust poder entendre’ns en occità-català 🙂
Bonic de veritat. Molt adequat per auests temps en que priva la cultura de la immediatesa: tot per avui, usar i llençar.
Gràcies Josep Maria, me n’alegro que t’hagi agradat. La veritat és que sovint em sento fora de lloc en aquesta cultura de la immediatesa: sóc d’anar a poc a poc, com els arbres, potser per això m’agraden tant. Una abraçada!