The Beggar and Reb Amschel Rothschild

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Oldie but goodie.

In the early 1800’s, a certain beggar once approached Amschel Mayer Rothschild, and wanted to be clever about collecting money from him. As was the style at the time, people used to use first-letter mnemonics to summarize a sentence. And to make things more clever was to make the mnemonic into a familiar word. The word the beggar used was for the alternate word Talmud, Gemara (or “Gemooreh” in Chassidish pronunciation).

The Beggar and Reb Amschel Rothschild

So, our beggar friend approached R’ Amschel and exclaimed to him, ” גמר”א ” (GeMaRA)!

R’ Amschel asked him “what does that mean?”

The beggar replied, ” גוט מורגען, רב אמשל ” (Good morning, Reb Amschel).

R’ Amschel replied, “Ah! גוט מורגען ” (Good morning).

The Beggar and Reb Amschel Rothschild

The beggar once again says, ” גמר”א ” (GeMaRA)!

“What now?'” Asked the wealthy R’ Amschel.

The beggar tells him, ” גיב מעוס, רב אמשל ” (Give money, Reb Amschel).

R’ Amschel gives the beggar money.

The beggar once again says, ” גמר”א ” (GeMaRA)!

“What now?'” Asked an already impatient R’ Amschel.

The beggar tells him, ” גיב מער, רב אמשל ” (Give more, Reb Amschel).