November 12, 2004
A Parable from the Bahal Shem Tov: A rabbi walked his
village repeating the same thing, every day: "A man's
soul teaches him everyday." Without fail, he'd walk
and speak these words without end, "A man's soul
teaches him everyday." One morning, a student, so
frustrated by his daily chant, took him by the
shoulders, and drove a look into his eyes, saying
"Teacher, if a man's soul teaches him everyday, why
doesn't he listen." The Rabbi considered, and then
calmly came the words "A man's soul teaches him
everyday, but it never says the same thing twice."
The Rabbi never spoke again.