The Rabbi's Towel

An older Jewish man who was a long-time widower decided to remarry. Because he was quite well off , there were several young ladies in his village who were interested. He settled on the youngest and prettiest one. On their wedding night, however, the man had problems “pleasing” his new wife. Despite all the efforts he made—and they weren’t bad for an old man—his pretty, young wife just lay there as if nothing was happening. Perplexed and saddened, the next day the old man went to see his rabbi. Rabbi,” he said, “As much as a I try, I cannot please my new wife in bed. What should I do?” The rabbi pondered the question for a moment and then came up with this solution. “Tonight, have my son come to your house while you’re in bed with your wife, and have him wave this holy towel over both of you.” The old man agreed and took the towel the rabbi gave him.

That night, just as the old man and his wife were getting into bed, the rabbi’s son arrived. The old man immediately got to work on his wife. Meanwhile, the rabbi’s son did as he was instructed, and waved the towel over both of them. But it was to no avail. In spite of all the work the old man went to, and in spite of the holy towel, his pretty, young wife just lay there, exactly as the night before, as unresponsive as a log. After some time, sweating and exhausted, the old man turned to the rabbi’s son who was still waving the towel above him. “Give me that towel,” he said “and you take my place!” And so that is what they did. They switched places, with the rabbi’s son going to work on the old man’s wife, while the old man waved the towel above them. Well, it didn’t take long for the old man’s wife’s attitude to change. Soon she was wailing and hollering with pleasure, as the rabbi’s son pounded away at her. And as the old man waved the towel above them he said, “ You see? This is the way to wave a towel!”