Won't you gather round, my friends, and listen to my tale
It's a lesson about life itself, and how I learned it well
'Cause you think you know the answers and things are the way they seem
But I found out it just ain't so, from the Rebbe of Lublin
You see, I worked as a shammas for this Rebbe from Lublin
I'd wash his clothes and shine his shoes and keep his house real clean
But one thing that I did not like about this job of mine
Was cookin' him his daily meals and serving them right on time
You see, the Rebbe would come home
From shul each day and sit down in his seat
And he'd say, "Ribono shel Olam, could I have a little bite to eat?
'Cause You sustain all mankind with Your goodness and Your grace"
And right on cue I'd come on out and put his food down in its place
So now you know what got me mad -- why, it's plain as day to see
I'd say, "His food don't come from heaven
But from the cook -- and that's me"
So I schemed and I conspired to set this Rebbe straight
Tomorrow there won't be no food to put down on his plate
Now the Rebbe left to go to shul early morning that next day
When a tearful man approached him, stood in the Rebbe's way
"My wife is ill," he cried out, "there's no hope for her life"
The Rebbe said, "I'll pray for her, with God's help she'll be alright"
The Rebbe of Lublin came home from shul like any other day
And he sat down at the table, I could hear him start to pray
I came out with his empty tray and said,
"This is what you've been prayin' for"
But with the last words of his prayer came a knockin' at the door
Standin' in the doorway was a man whose eyes did shine
"Rebbe, it's a miracle -- my wife, she's feelin' fine
Please accept this little gift to show our gratitude"
Well, I'm sure by now you guessed it, folks
It was a package filled with food
The Rebbe would come home from shul each day and sit down in his seat
And he'd say, "Ribono shel Olam, could I have a little bite to eat?
'Cause You sustain all mankind with Your goodness and Your grace"
And right on cue I'd come on out -
You could bet your bottom dollar I would come on out -
And put his food down in its place