שבועות יח

The חוזה was once told by an opponent of חסידות that he should leave his post as רבי.  When the  חוזה asked the מתנגד what he suggests he do, the מתנגד said he should tell his חסידים that he doesn’t know how to learn and then they’ll stop coming.  “Good!” said the חוזה, “I will do as you say.”  At the שבת table, the חוזה remarked that he can’t learn and doesn’t understand why people keep coming to him.  The people took it as עניוות and more and more came to see him.  “You see,” the חוזה said to the מתנגד, “I told them that I don’t know how to learn and now even more show up.”  The מתנגד responded: “Tell them that you do know how to learn and they’ll stop coming.”  “I can’t tell a lie,” the חוזה replied.

06/10/2021