A great story from the Jewish Talmud. . .

Once, a Jew became impoverished and was forced to sell his plowing heifer to a heathen. The heathen used her to plow for six days, and when the Sabbath arrived he took her out to plow as well, just as he had done on every other day. But on this day, the heifer seemed possessed. She struggled under the yoke, and refused to move. The owner kicked her and hit her, but the heifer would not budge from the spot.

The heathen went back and told the Jew, "take your heifer back; perhaps there is something wrong with her. As much as I strike her, she will not move." The Jew understood that the heifer was accustomed to resting on the Sabbath. He bent down and whispered into the animal's ear, "Heifer, heifer, I know that when you belonged to me, you would plow during the six work days, and rest on the Sabbath. But alas! I have had to sell you, and now this one possesses you. He does not recognize the sanctity of this day. Please go and plow for him."

The heifer began to plow immediately. The buyer stood spellbound at this sight, and when he sufficiently recovered from his shock he grabbed hold of the Jew and demanded "I asked you to take her back. Now I won't let you go from here, until you tell me what it is that you did in her ear! I struggled with her and hit her, and she wouldn't stand!

The Jew began to calm and appease him. "I did no magic or spell," he explained. "I just told her that she must come to terms with the fact that she must now work on the Sabbath... "

The man stood thunderstruck. Trembling with awe, he whispered "If this cow, who cannot speak and has no understanding, recognizes its Creator....what of me, whom that same Creator made in His own image, and bestowed with intelligence?! Should I not become aquainted with Him?"

That man embraced the G-d of Israel, and eventually became a great and respected scholar.

From The Temple Institute a wonderful sight full of information about Jewish tradition, religion, and most importantly their longing for a Temple