Midrashei Chazal: The Challos in the Oven

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was a tzaddik and a wise man, who always tried to help everyone. He had almost no belongings and hardly any money, and his family had to get by with very little. On Friday morning in the village, the air was full of a wonderful smell. The smell of the Shabbos challos rose from the chimneys and filled people's hearts with joy. Only in Rabbi Chanina's house there was nothing. The oven wasn't lit, and all the food was gone. No tasty dishes and no treats, just a few carobs and some fruit. Rabbi Chanina's wife felt very embarrassed. She didn't want anyone to know. She was very worried. So that no one would know what they had and what they didn't, she threw some pieces of wood into the empty oven, so smoke would rise from her chimney too, just like all the other houses around. There was one woman there with a mean heart, who saw the smoke, and it really bothered her. "I have to check for myself," she said, "if something's really cooking, or if it's just pretend. I bet it's a trick, there's nothing in that oven! I'll go right now and find out the real story." So the neighbor went, and without being invited, she walked right into the little home. "Mrs. ben Dosa, come quick! Your challos are burning, the oven's on fire!" the neighbor called out, just waiting to make fun of the poor woman. The wife opened the oven in a fright, and she couldn't believe what she saw. By a miracle, the oven was full of challos, puffy, round, big and smelling wonderful! "Good thing you brought a bread paddle," she said, and she even gave the neighbor a challah. The neighbor stood off to the side and just couldn't understand it. She couldn't believe her eyes. From here we learn an important lesson. We need to pay attention to how a friend is doing. And if he's missing something and things aren't going so well, we'll be careful not to hurt him or embarrass him. Let's look at others kindly, and be happy for our friends. It's pleasant, it's nice, it's right, and it's fair.