ROSH HASHANAH PARABLE 6:    THE HUMBLE REQUEST One of the Dubner Maggid's meshalim equates a signjficant prayer in the High Holy Days mahzor with humility as a desideratum in man's behavior pattern. The following question was propounded to the Maggid of Dubno. Why is it that in the group of Avinu Malkenu petitions all are recited in a loud vojce except the concluding verses: "Our Father, our King, be gracious and answer us; though we plead no merit, deal with us according to Thy mercy and lovingkindness and help us"? This one is rendered softly, in an undertone. The Dubner Maggid replied with this mashal. A retailer came to a certain wholesale dealer to purchase merchandise. Entering with proud bearing, he would announce his order loudly: "I want so many yards of velvet and pure silk, so many yards of linen," etc. On hearing the retailer's order, the wholesaler instructed his employees to prepare it for delivery. This accomplished, the retailer whispered to the wholesaler, "I regret I have no ready cash; please be good enough to accept my note for this merchandise." "We are in the same predicament," the Dubner Maggid continued. "On the Ten Days of Repentance we present ourselves to our Father and King, and supplicate Him with firm voices to supply our long list of requisites in the new year: a life of happiness, sustenance and maintenance, redemption and salvation, complete healing, pardon and forgiveness, inscription in the Book of Merit, and so forth. After registering this lengthy list of entreaties, we approach Him humbly and tremulously and whisper the final prayer almost inaudibly, "Our Father, our King, be gracious and answer us; though we plead no merit, deal with us according to Thy mercy and lovingkindness and help us. We come as poor suppliants, beseeching Thee to accept our promissory note for all these benefactions." Introduction to Parables  |  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5   |  6 TISHREI Table of Contents