His sorrow for the unfortunate bride and bridegroom prompted him to do this service of love. The angel added,—
“I will join in the choir of angels who praise God morning and evening, and I will put your question before the Father of Mercy who dwells with the meek and the broken-hearted. I hope for the sake of both of you that Joseph’s life will be spared.”
In a moment the angel was gone and in [[66]]another moment he returned. His face was shining with heavenly light and his voice was sweet and soft.
“Listen,” he said. “Good friends! I rejoice to tell you that your prayers have been heard. Live well and long together, enjoy your life. The other husbands died because they married, not for love, but for greed of gold. They were hard-hearted, scorning the poor and the weak. You shall live to help others to live and to prosper. Farewell!” and in a second the angel was seen no more.
The bride and bridegroom spent that night in giving praise to God for His love and mercy. The parents, however, were weeping throughout the long night, whilst their friends had prepared the grave for Joseph’s body. At dawn, Joseph went to his uncle and aunt to greet them. They were greatly overcome with joy and comforted one another by praying together to the Almighty. All then hastened to fill in the unused grave. In this plot they planted seeds of daffodils, so that in time to come they might look upon the beautiful flowers as an emblem of the Divine Mercy.
Joseph continued to be charitable and kind to all who needed his help. Whenever the people saw him they were wont to exclaim: “Truly charity delivers from death.”
Midrash Tanchuma, Ha’azinu, § viii. [[67]]
THE CLEVER WIFE
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