Solomon the powerful and wealthy king chooses to test his most loyal and
trusted minister, Benaiah Ben Yehoyada, by asking of him an impossible
task.
The king asks Benaiah to find for him a ring, knowing full well
that the ring does not exist, which has magic powers. “If a happy man
looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes
happy,” he tells him. He expresses his desire to wear the ring for
Sukkot, which is six months away.
After months of searching, Benaiah
finds himself, the night before Sukkot, walking through the poorest
neighborhood of Jerusalem. He happens upon a jeweler, who, when asked if
he’s heard of such a ring, produces from his pocket a plain gold ring,
to which he adds an engravement. Benaiah returns just in time on the eve
of Sukkot to give the king the ring he has requested. When the king
looks at the engraving, he reads four words: “This too shall pass” . At that
moment, Solomon realizes that his wisdom, tremendous wealth, and power
are fleeting things, for one day he will be nothing but dust.”