“God’s word is true, and He is true. If you cannot accede to my
petition to grant me a respite, give me leave to go to my wife and to
bid her farewell.”
“This will I gladly allow,” exclaimed the angel, “in return for your
kindness to me this day; you knew me not—yet have you treated me as a
friend.”
The angel spoke so gently because his heart was full of sorrow. He knew
that Joseph was a good and true man, and it grieved him to lead him
through the valley of the shadow of death.
Joseph hastened to his wife’s apartment and entered. He found her rapt
in prayer with tears in her eyes.
“Quick, my beloved,” he whispered, “my time is very short, I cannot
stay here, I must hasten far away with the strange beggar. He has come
to fetch me. Let me bless you for your unfailing sweetness and love;
come, let me kiss you for the last time.”
“If,” she cried, “you hasten away I will go with you, for now we are
one and nothing shall ever part us, not even cruel death itself.”
With a passionate grip she took his hand and told him to lead her to
the beggar. When she saw him, she said,—
“Stranger! you are still our guest beneath our roof. If you would repay
our hospitality this day just grant me one little favour. Take me with
my husband to the Eternal Judge and I will ask Him whether His holy
word in the Law is true. Is it not written therein: ‘And what man is
there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her, let him go
and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take
her’” (Deut. xx. 7)?
“Nay,” cried the angel, “I will go for you and I will bring you answer
again.”
His sorrow for the unfortunate bride and bridegroom prompted him to do
this service of love. The angel added,—
“I will join in the choir of angels who praise God morning and evening,
and I will put your question before the Father of Mercy who dwells with
the meek and the broken-hearted. I hope for the sake of both of you
that Joseph’s life will be spared.”
In a moment the angel was gone and in another moment he returned. His
face was shining with heavenly light and his voice was sweet and soft.
“Listen,” he said. “Good friends! I rejoice to tell you that your
prayers have been heard. Live well and long together, enjoy your life.
The other husbands died because they married, not for love, but for
greed of gold. They were hard-hearted, scorning the poor and the weak.
You shall live to help others to live and to prosper. Farewell!” and in
a second the angel was seen no more.
The bride and bridegroom spent that night in giving praise to God for
His love and mercy. The parents, however, were weeping throughout the
long night, whilst their friends had prepared the grave for Joseph’s
body. At dawn, Joseph went to his uncle and aunt to greet them. They
were greatly overcome with joy and comforted one another by praying
together to the Almighty. All then hastened to fill in the unused
grave. In this plot they planted seeds of daffodils, so that in time to
come they might look upon the beautiful flowers as an emblem of the
Divine Mercy.
Joseph continued to be charitable and kind to all who needed his help.
Whenever the people saw him they were wont to exclaim: “Truly charity
delivers from death.”
Midrash Tanchuma, Ha’azinu, § viii.