זבחים יב

A Rabbi was invited to speak to the patients at a hospital in Washington DC for the mentally disturbed.  He came prepared for any reaction that might ensue, so he was scarcely surprised when the chief psychiatrist warned him to disregard any comments the inmates might offer during his address.  After the Rabbi had talked for half an hour, a member of the audience stood up in the center aisle and in a loud voice declared:  “This is awful.  I never heard such a lousy speech in my life!”  The Rabbi ignored the interruption.  When he was through, the psychiatrist ran up to him and warmly shook his hand.  “Rabbi,” said the doctor, “You have no idea how much you’ve helped that poor man.  Why, that was the first rational statement he has uttered in three years!”

06/10/2021