“Goodbye, Aharon.” Yonatan waved to his friend. “Tell my father what has happened and make sure the city davens for me”

Yonatan was devastated. His entire world had come crashing down in one fell swoop. Where had the king come from?

“I’m so sorry!”

Aharon fell at Yonatan’s feet, weeping copious tears.

“I fell for his trap and led him straight to you!”

“No, Hashem has caused this to happen.” Yonatan gently lifted Aharon from the ground. “We are all puppets in His hands. Now come quickly, we can still get a horse and chase him!”

Alas, the two men soon discovered that the king was long gone. When they arrived at the sea port no one had any information about the king and his captives. The sun was beginning to set and all hope truly seemed lost.

“What are you searching for?”

Yonatan turned and saw a very small boat by the water’s edge with two men sitting inside.

“Please, kind sirs, I am looking for my wife and baby! A terrible man just kidnapped them from my house a short while ago! Perhaps you’ve seen them?”

“We can help you.” One of the men motioned for Yonatan to enter the boat. “We know where the king has gone.”

“You didn’t tell them anything about a king…” Aharon whispered to Yonatan. “Who are these men?”

“Where will you take me if I join you?”

“Across the ocean to find what’s been taken from you. Come, the hour is late.

“I’m coming too!” Aharon made a motion to join Yonatan and enter the boat.

“No! This journey can only be taken by him.” The men pointed at Yonatan. “You can stay here and pray for his success.”

“Goodbye, Aharon.” Yonatan waved to his friend. “Tell my father what has happened and make sure the city davens for me.”

“I will.” Aharon felt tears falling from his eyes as Yonatan’s boat drifted off into the vast, glistening ocean. “Goodbye.”

*******

The two mysterious men took Yonatan across the ocean in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Clearly these were not ordinary people.

“You have some money in your pocket?” The men asked him when they arrived on the shores of the king’s territory.

“Yes. I brought along a lot of money in the hopes of catching up with the king and bribing him to give my family back.”

“Good. There is a landfill nearby filled with waste from all of the city’s residents. Travel immediately to the palace and tell the officers that you would like to purchase it.”

“B-but why?”

“Just follow our orders and ask no questions. You will see the salvation of Hashem very soon.”

(Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr., Issue 778)