Let’s dip into a little story, found within Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, a treasure trove of rabbinic lore. This one features an ass, an ox, and a farmer who gets a bit more than he bargained for.
Imagine this: a weary ox, back in his stall after a long day of plowing. His friend, the ass, saunters over with what he thinks is some sage wisdom.
"God knows," the ass brays, "I'm speaking to you with total honesty here. My advice? Don't touch your straw or fodder tonight! When the master sees it, he'll think you're sick. No heavy work tomorrow, and you can get a nice, long rest. That's exactly what I did today!"
Now, you might be thinking, "Sneaky ass!" And you wouldn't be wrong. The ox, perhaps a bit naive, takes the ass's advice to heart. He ignores the tempting food placed before him.
But here's where the story takes a twist. The master, not born yesterday, suspects something is up with the ass. Maybe he's seen this trick before? So, he gets up in the middle of the night, creeps into the stable, and what does he see?
He sees the ass happily munching away at the ox's portion of food! The master can't help it; he bursts out laughing. Think about the scene – the quiet stable, the sneaky ass caught red-hooved, and the farmer's silent laughter.
His wife, naturally, is awakened by the commotion. "What's so funny?" she asks, probably a little annoyed at being woken up.
The master, caught in the act of eavesdropping on his animals, has to think fast. He doesn’t want to reveal his… well, somewhat unusual nighttime activity. He just tells her that something funny popped into his head.
What does it all mean? Well, on one level, it’s a simple story about trickery and being careful who you trust. But maybe it’s more than that. Perhaps it's a reminder that even the animals around us have their own stories, their own strategies, their own little dramas unfolding while we're busy with our own lives. And perhaps, just perhaps, if we listened closely enough, we might learn a thing or two. Food for thought, wouldn't you say?