One rabbi passed by a young man on a holiday. He smoked, and smoking was prohibited on that day. So the rabbi stopped and asked him:
“Did you know, young man, that today is a holiday and you shouldn’t smoke?”
“Yes, I know that today is a holiday,” said the young man. He still continued to smoke. Moreover, he blew smoke in the rabbi's face.
“Do you know,” asked the rabbi, “that smoking is prohibited on the holiday?”
The young man replied arrogantly:
“Yes, I know it’s prohibited,” and continued smoking.
The Rabbi raised his eyes to the sky and said:
- Father, this young man is wonderful. He may be breaking the law, but no one can force him to lie. He is a truthful person. He says, “Yes, I know it’s a religious day, and yes, I know smoking is prohibited.” Remember on judgment day that this young man could not be forced to lie.
This is a wonderful rabbi. This is the sadhu's mind. He does not see the bad, he always sees only the beautiful.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru