“Ivan, ruler of the city, wants to take your daughter as his wife”
E
sther was in anguish. She knew her father was terribly distressed that no boy had been good enough in her eyes. It wasn’t that there were no talmidei chachamim in town, it was just that Esther felt their middos didn’t sufficiently match their wisdom.
One day, Esther took a long walk through the forest to ease her mind. She was not alone, however. The local poritz, a wicked man named Ivan, spotted her from the window of his castle. He made up his mind then that this girl would be his wife.
That very evening two soldiers banged roughly against Rav Naftali’s door. Everyone came to the door to see who could be knocking so violently.
“Can I help you?” Rav Naftali did not like the look of the two gruff men who had swords tucked at their sides.
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