The Talmud tells of how Rabbi Meir used to scoff at sinners (Kiddushin 81a). One day Satan appeared to him as a woman on the other side of the river, and since there was no ferry to cross, he grabbed the dock line and walked over. When he reached the middle, that one (Satan) left him and said: If one had not proclaimed in heaven to be careful with Rabbi Meir and his knowledge of the law, I would have your blood for two maa (a copper coin of very little value ) estimated. “
Palme Rabbi Akiva also used to mock sinners. The Talmud writes that one day Satan appeared to him as a woman, on the top of a palm tree. Then he grasped the palm and climbed it. When he reached half of the palm tree, that one (Satan) left him and said: “Had it not been called in heaven to be careful with Rabbi Akiva and his knowledge of the law, I would have estimated your blood with two maa.”
On the same page of the Talmud, we read another, very similar story, but with a different outcome: “Once prisoners were brought to the city of Nehardea. They were quartered with Rabbi Amram, the pious, and the ladder was removed from their quarters. When one of them passed by and a beam of light fell through the hatch, Rabbi Amram took the ladder to go up.
The ladder could not support ten men – but he carried them (and climbed) all by himself. When he had reached the middle of the ladder, he stopped and called out loudly: ‘Fire at Amram!’ Then the other rabbis came running and said to him: ‘We are ashamed of you.’ But he replied: ‘Better be ashamed of Amram in this world than that you will be ashamed of him in the world to come.
Midrasch The Midrash tells that King David Almighty asked why the forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Jakow were included in the Amida prayer, but not him. The Eternal replied, “Because I tested them, and they passed. But I have not examined you. ”King David asked that he should also be examined. And so he was sent the test with Batschewa – which he failed.
From these stories we learn that even great and pious people like the writer of the Psalms, King David, and rabbis of the Talmud were unable to withstand certain stimuli.
For this reason, one should never be too sure of oneself and ridicule or judge others for their offenses. As it says in the Pirkej Avot, one must not judge others until one has been in their position. And it also says that you shouldn’t be too sure until your last day, because there can always be an exam that you fail.
wallet One day a Rebbe asked the question in front of his assembled Hasids: “What would you do if you found a full wallet on the street?” One shouted: “I would take it to the owner immediately.” “You are a liar!” shouted the Rebbe. Then another shouted, “I would keep the wallet.” “You are a thief,” the Rebbe grew even more impatient and angry.
Then he asked the third one what he was going to do with the wallet. He bowed his head and replied softly: “I don’t know what I would do and what I would ultimately choose. I would certainly pray to the Almighty that He would give me strength to resist temptation and return the wallet to its rightful owner. ”“ You are a wise man, ”said the Rebbe in a calm voice, smiling gently.
May the Almighty give us strength to withstand our temptations and face our trials. Because from the story of Rabbi Amram we see: It is possible.
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