Anxiety

Shalom Aleichem is considered by many to be the greatest of the ethnic humorists. He is perhaps best known as the creator of the character, Tevye, in one of America’s most heartwarming Musicals, “Fiddler on the Roof.” Although it would be inaccurate to characterize Tevye as “a man of little faith,” nevertheless he constantly needles God about the way He is running things on earth. Looking up toward heaven, Tevye worries over his situation as a village dairyman: “With God’s help, I starve to death,” he complains.

“And now my horse is lame, so I pull the cart. Today I am a horse. Where is justice? If I pull this cart with two legs, why can’t the horse with three?

Dear God, it’s enough that you pick on me, Tevye...but what have you got against my horse? Sometimes I think when things get too quiet up there, You say to Yourself, ‘Let’s see, what kind of mischief can I play on My friend Tevye?’” Also from the pen of Shalom Aleichem is the story of an elderly man who easily outclasses Tevye as a certified worrier.

The old man is standing with a friend on a crowded bus. A young man asks, “What time is it?” The old man refuses to reply and the young man moves on. The old man’s friend asks, “Why were you so discourteous?”

The old man replies, “If I had given him the time of day, next he would want to know where I’m going. Then we might talk about our interests.

If we did that, he might invite himself to my house for dinner. If he did, he would meet my lovely daughter. If he met her, they would both fall in love—and I don’t want my daughter marrying someone who can’t afford a watch.”