It was almost sundown, and the heat of the day was abating. The shepherd had gathered his herd of goats and was heading home. A soft cool breeze began to blow, making the thought of imminent night even more delicious. The shepherd was in good mood and was lovingly praising his beloved God, unaware that the prophet Moses was within earshot:
“Where are you, my one and only Beloved, so that I may serve you without fail, mend Your shoes when they’re torn, comb Your locks when they’re untidy, wash Your clothes when they’re soiled, and pick the lice out of Your disheveled hair? My magnificent Beloved, I promise to always kiss Your hands with utter respect, bring You fresh milk every day, and rub Your tired feet when they’re painfully sore. When it’s time to sleep, I’ll make Your bed and sweep Your room spotless. My life’s Yours to do with as You wish; my goats, my entire livelihood, all belong to You, for You’re my one and only love.”
Moses patiently listened to the shepherd’s blasphemous litany until he finally fell silent. Gravely he stepped forward and asked the simple shepherd with authority: “Who were you speaking to?”
“The one who created you and me, the earth and the sky,” replied the shepherd innocently, not recognizing Moses.
Moses could not hold back his anger and exclaimed in horror: “You miserable, pitiful man! What’s this nonsense you’re spitting out? I’m Moses, your prophet, and I’m telling you to shut your disdainful mouth this instant. The Creator has no worldly limbs; shoes are for those who need them, milk is for someone who’s still growing! Your praise makes no sense, so stop it before your life is forever cursed!”
Astounded and ashamed, the shepherd sighed: “Oh, Moses, you’ve sewn my lips together! I repent and wish that my life could be set on eternal fire this very minute!”
He then stood up, ripped open his shirt, threw it to the wind, and sobbed desperately into the desert. Soon after this encounter, Moses felt a heavy slumber descend upon him, sending him into a deep sleep, where he had a revelation:
“Moses, what have you done?” Moses immediately recognized the undeniable sound of God’s voice. “You’ve alienated my faithful servant from me! Did I send you as my prophet to unite me with my people or to sever me from them! I’ve allowed everyone their own way of worshipping, their own form of expression. I have no need of their prayers, but they do. What may seem like poison to you could be honey to someone else. I don’t look at what my people say outwardly, I only see what’s inside their hearts. I want to see the burning of love! So light up the fire of love in your soul and banish your unhelpful thoughts once and for all!”
Hearing God’s words, the treacle of His wisdom was implanted in Moses’s soul, opening his eyes to secrets unknown to him before and convincing him to always look beyond the superficial. A few moments later, he was heading into the desert on the trail of the shepherd, agonizing over his harsh and unkind words to the poor man. It didn’t take long to find the shepherd’s footsteps, for they were distinctly different from an ordinary man’s footsteps. In places he’d been dragging his feet, and soon after that he’d been limping, then side-stepping and stepping backward, even crawling at times, all indicative of his tumultuous state of mind. In due time, Moses spotted the shepherd in the distance and carefully approached him, speaking softly:
“My dear shepherd, you’ve been blessed by God Almighty himself! He has reproached me for speaking to you so abrasively. He wants you to pray in any way you prefer. In fact, God adores your simple words that come directly from your heart. You may continue in the same manner that you’ve always prayed, and God wants you to know that He’s absolutely content with you.”
The shepherd raised his face to Moses. He was not the same man anymore; his eyes did not belong to this world, and his voice rose from a more profound depth.
“Moses, I’ve gone beyond your hollow words; I’m mad in my soul. I’ve traveled past the earth and the sky, a thousand years beyond! You brought down your whip on my very being, hurling me into worlds beyond my dreams. Praise be to your whipping arm, which laid such a blow and roused me to my own truth. I can’t explain who or what I am anymore; all I know re; all I know is that I’m sailing away, but where to, I cannot tell.”
The shepherd said goodbye respectfully, turned his back to Moses, and staggered away, traveling deeper into the desert until he became invisible.
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