A treasure at home

Reb Isaac of Krakow wanted to build a new synagogue for his community but lacked the financial resources. One night he dreamt that there was a treasure buried under a bridge in Prague. The following day he arranged his affairs and set off, shovel in hand, for the Czech capital.

When he reached the city he was overjoyed. The bridge appeared exactly as it had in his dream. But as he started digging, he felt a strong hand on his arm. “What are you doing? You can’t dig here,” a guard told him.

Reb Isaac told the guard the entire story: his desire to build the synagogue, his dream of the buried treasure, and his journey from Poland. “Silly man,” the guard told him. “For several nights I’ve been dreaming about a treasure buried under the stove of a Jew called Isaac who lives in Krakow. Now do you think that I’d travel all the way to Krakow to look for this treasure?”

Reb Isaac smiled and returned home. He dug under his stove, found the treasure, and built his synagogue. What he had been looking for had been buried right in his own home.