The great Rabbi Meir and his brilliant wife Beruriah had two little sons. One Sabbath afternoon, while Rabbi Meir was at synagogue, his sons fell ill suddenly and died. Their mother, numb with grief, laid them in the bed, covered them and waited for her husband to return.

When Rabbi Meir came in he asked for his sons. ‘They have gone out,’ said Beruriah, ‘They’ll be back soon. Let us say the prayers to usher out the Sabbath.’ When they finished the prayer of Separation, Rabbi Meir said again, ‘Where are the boys?’

‘They are all right’ answered Beruriah, placing supper before him, ‘Come and eat.’ After supper she said to him, ‘I have to consult you about something. A couple of years ago a stranger came by, and left two precious jewels with me for safe keeping. Yesterday he returned and asked for them back, but they are so beautiful and I have grown to love them; do I have to give them back to him?’

‘My love,’ he answered, ‘I am surprised that you, a scholar, need to ask me such a question. However much you love the two jewels, they were never yours to keep. They were only entrusted to you for a while. Of course you must return them when the owner asks.’

She said, ‘I knew that, but I couldn’t let them go without your consent.’ With that she took him by the hand and led him into the bedroom. When she drew back the sheet and he saw his children, he cried out in grief, ‘My sons, my sons! My teachers, my teachers! My sons in this world, but my teachers because you lit up my eyes with the light of heaven!’

Beruriah sobbed, ‘You yourself said, we must return what is entrusted to our care. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.’

From Midrash Mishley (Proverbs) 31
Retold by Rabbi Mark Solomon