Cheshvan 17

Rabbi Naftali of Ropschitz related that a Russian czar was inspecting his troops on the front lines, when one enemy soldier took aim at him. A brave Russian soldier threw himself at the czar, pushed him out of the line of fire, and thereby saved his life. The grateful czar told the soldier that he would reward him by granting any request he made. The soldier complained that his sergeant was very cruel to him, and asked the czar to order the sergeant to treat him more kindly.

"You fool!" the czar responded. "You should have asked to be made a senior officer, and then the sergeant would have to take orders from you!"

Rabbi Naftali commented that we come before God with a variety of petty requests, forgetting that the single request we should be making is to be returned to our homeland and to the glory of old, and then all our other requests would be fulfilled.

As we thank God for our food and ask Him to continue to provide for us, we are reminded not to be as foolish as the soldier, but rather to make the most important request of all - that we be returned to the position of favor in the eyes of God.