And what he hears… saves him from death! The story goes that he heeded the advice of a rooster, and by doing so, he managed to cheat fate. We don't know the details of the advice, unfortunately. But it certainly makes you wonder about the secrets whispered in the barnyard, doesn't it?
Speaking of secrets and wisdom, let's turn to the legendary King Solomon. He wasn't just wise; he was clever. So clever, in fact, that he could outwit foreign rulers who tried to pull a fast one on him.
You see, Solomon was building the Beit Hamikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem. A massive undertaking! He needed skilled artisans, so he reached out to Pharaoh of Egypt for help. Now, Pharaoh, he wasn't exactly playing fair. He did send artists, but with a wicked twist.
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Pharaoh consulted his astrologers. They identified the men destined to die within the year. And those were the men Pharaoh sent to Solomon! Can you believe the audacity? It's almost comical, if it weren't so… well, morbid.
But Solomon, the wisest of all men, wasn't born yesterday. He quickly saw through the deception. Talk about a king who doesn't miss a beat!
So what did he do? He sent the men back to Egypt, each one equipped with their own tachrichim – grave clothes! And he sent a message along with them: "To Pharaoh! I suppose thou hadst no shrouds for these people. Herewith I send thee the men, and what they were in need of."
Talk about a mic drop moment!
It's a pretty cutting message, isn't it? Imagine the look on Pharaoh's face when he received that package. Solomon wasn't just returning the men; he was returning Pharaoh's treachery right back at him. The story is a testament to Solomon's unmatched wisdom and his ability to turn the tables on those who sought to deceive him.
These stories, seemingly simple, offer a glimpse into a world where wisdom, cunning, and even a little bit of eavesdropping can change everything. They remind us that even in the face of deception, there's always a way to find the truth, and perhaps, even send it back with a little extra something.