Sirius
New Member
Rabbi Yehunda was the holiest man of his age. One night he dreamed that he had died and was brought before the throne of heaven. The angel who stands before the throne said to him, "Who are you?"
"I am Rabbi Yehunda of Prague," he replied. " Tell me, my lord, if my name is written in the book of all who will share in the kingdom of heaven."
"Wait," said the angel. "I shall read the names of all who died today that are written in the book." and he read aloud the names, thousands of them. As the angel read, Rabbi Yehunda saw the spirits of all whose names had been called fly into heaven. At last the angel finished reading, and Rabbi Yehunda's name had not been called. He wept bitterly.
The angel said, "But i have called your name,"
Rabbi Yehuda said, " I did not hear it"
And the angel said, "In the book are written the names of all the people who have ever lived, for every soul is an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. But many come here who have never heard their true names on the lips of man or angel. They have lived believing they know who they really are, but they don't know. And so when they're called to heaven by their names as who they really are, they dont recognize themselves. They don't realize that it's for them that the gates of heaven are opened. So they must wait until they know their true selves and so recognize their true names."
At this Rabbi Yehuda woke and, rising from his bed in tears, he lay prostrate on the ground and prayed, "Master of the Universe! Grant me once before i die to hear my own true name as who i really am."
"I am Rabbi Yehunda of Prague," he replied. " Tell me, my lord, if my name is written in the book of all who will share in the kingdom of heaven."
"Wait," said the angel. "I shall read the names of all who died today that are written in the book." and he read aloud the names, thousands of them. As the angel read, Rabbi Yehunda saw the spirits of all whose names had been called fly into heaven. At last the angel finished reading, and Rabbi Yehunda's name had not been called. He wept bitterly.
The angel said, "But i have called your name,"
Rabbi Yehuda said, " I did not hear it"
And the angel said, "In the book are written the names of all the people who have ever lived, for every soul is an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. But many come here who have never heard their true names on the lips of man or angel. They have lived believing they know who they really are, but they don't know. And so when they're called to heaven by their names as who they really are, they dont recognize themselves. They don't realize that it's for them that the gates of heaven are opened. So they must wait until they know their true selves and so recognize their true names."
At this Rabbi Yehuda woke and, rising from his bed in tears, he lay prostrate on the ground and prayed, "Master of the Universe! Grant me once before i die to hear my own true name as who i really am."
