The 1 Dollar Covenant

This amazing true story was doing the rounds in shul this weekend ...

The man in the blue silk skullcap looked rather awkward and out of place at the Chassidic wedding in New York.  One of the guests, a rabbi, approached him and invited him to join in the dancing.  The clearly secular Jew declined, explaining that he was the father of the bridegroom and was not in a celebratory mood  as he disapproved of the path his son had taken and of his choice in marriage.

“But this is the happiest day of his life …” said the rabbi, “at least grant him the one wish of dancing on his big day?”

“Look,” said the father. “If you are asking about granting wishes, I told my son I would do anything he asked of me in honour of his wedding … any single wish and I would grant it. Money, a house, a car ... whatever”.  The father then revealed that his son’s single wish was that his father became circumcised in time for the wedding.

“So, I went to the urologist a few days ago and had it done …” said the father. “And, to be honest, this is the reason I can’t dance … because I am in considerable pain.”

The rabbi was overwhelmed by this story.  “It’s a truly wonderful thing you have done for your son,” he said. Reaching into his pocket, he took out a laminated one-dollar bill.  “I want to give this to you.  It’s a dollar bill given to me a long time ago by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I’ve been carrying it on me every day since, but you are much more worthy of it than me.”

The father’s face suddenly went very pale.

“Are you OK?” asked the rabbi.

“Not quite … ” the father replied and then went on to tell him a story.

“About 30 years ago, my partner and I decided to go into a certain business venture. It was a bit risky so he decided to go to his rabbi for a blessing. I was not into that kind of stuff, but went along just the same.  He took me to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s place on Eastern Parkway where he was giving out his famous dollar bills to a long line of disciples and visitors.  As we progressed along the line, I fell a few places behind my partner, and when I finally reached the rebbe’s table, he leaned towards me and whispered: “Have you had a brit ?”  

I embarrassedly admitted that I hadn’t been circumcised.

To which he quietly replied: “When you have had a brit, I will have a dollar for you.”