בבא קמא קיט

In the early 1900s, there lived in Lithuania a pool tailor named Mottel. Although he mended, patched and pressed garments for everyone in town, he himself walked about in tatters. He would even appear in Shul dressed like a scarecrow, to the mortification of the rabbi and the congregants. “Mottel,” commented one of his customers, “it’s disgraceful that you, a tailor, should go around in rags. Why don’t you repair your own clothes?” “What can I do?” the tailor responded. “I’m a poor man and can only find time to do work for which I am paid.” The customer thought about the explanation for a moment and his face then brightened. “I have an idea,” he said. “Consider me a new customer. I am paying you right now to fix your shabby suit. Just remember, you’re doing it for a paying customer.“ The following week, the customer returned to the shop, only to find that the tailor was still still wearing the same old and tattered clothing. “Look at you,” he said to Mottel. “I paid you, but you haven’t touched your clothes.” “I’m afraid I’ll have to return your money,” the tailor replied. “After you left, I examined my suit very carefully. Frankly, considering the awful condition it’s in, I realized that even with your generous payment, I’d be losing money on the job.”

06/10/2021