The synagogue looked like any other synagogue in Poland. But near the door was a set of scales. Strangers often wondered about them. But the people of the town knew why they were there. 2 Years back a drought had come to the town. For months there had been no rain. Wells were dry. Gardens and farms were scorched. The people suffered thirst and hunger. Some died. 3 The Jews of the town looked for help to their rabbi. And the rabbi prayed. But nothing happened. One night the rabbi was alone, praying. He fell asleep. In his sleep he heard a voice say: "Your prayers will bring no help. There is only one man in town who can help. It is Kalman the grocer. You must call all the Jews to the synagogue and Kalman must lead the people in prayer." s The rabbi woke. He said to himself, "Kalman is an ignorant man. He can hardly read. Can it really be that he is to speak for the people?" 6 The rabbi decided that the voice must have been just a dream. He returned to his prayers. Again he fell into a doze. The voice spoke once more: "Why keep on praying when you know it will not help unless Kal-man prays for the people'?" This time when the rabbi woke, he called the elders and asked them to announce that every Jew in the community was to go to the synagogue. Within an hour the syna-gogue was full. After a while the door opened, and Kalman the grocer, the last to arrive, pushed his way in and sat down. Everyone was silent, waiting for the service to begin. s When the rabbi saw Kalman, he went to him and said, "Kalman, you will lead the congregation today." 9 "What are you saying, rabbi?" Kalman protested. "How can I when I don't even know how to read?" 19 "It doesn't matter. If you can't read all the prayers, read those that you know." But Kalman, instead of obeying, turned and left the synagogue.
2 The elders gathered about the rabbi and said,' "What will we do now? You can see how ignorant this man is. In spite of your command, he walks out." 3 "We shall wait half an hour," the rabbi said, "and then we shall see." But in minutes Kalman was back. In his hands he held the scales he used in his shop. Lifting them above his head, he marched straight to the front. s Still holding the scales high, Kalman began to speak: "Lord, as you know, I am ignorant. But all my fife I have been honest, and these scales are the sign of my honesty. I have never robbed a customer in my shop by giving him short weight. NO, Lord, hear me. If my scales have been true, send rain right now so that we all may live." 9 The grocer finished his strange prayer. There was dead silence. Suddenly a wind rattled the windows. The skies grew dark. Then h., drops of rain began to fall. The town was saved! Afterward the rabbi kept wondering at the miracle. Why was it Kalman who had saved the community? True, he had kept honest scales. But there must have been others just as honest. Then one by one the merchants of the town began to come to the rabbi. Each confessed that at times his scales had not been true. The merchants told him they hadn't meant to do wrong. It was just that they hadn't known how important it was to test their s.les and make sure they were always honest. " Now the rabbi knew why God had chosen Kalman to pray for rain. He ordered that Kalman's scales be placed in the syna-gogue, so that every its in town would remember how important honesty is.