Wisdom & Wit

Wisdom and Wit - Parashat Eikev

A Ba’al T’shuva complained to the Maggid of Mezeritch that even though he was now a fully observant Jew, he still had thoughts going back to the time that he had not been observant.
The Maggid said to him: “Let me tell you a story. For years, a man had a pub, which was frequented by all types of people. Finally, he decided that he had had enough, and changed occupations. Still, there were people who had not heard about the change, and they came pounding on his door and demanded a drink. He explained to each that he was no longer a pub owner. Over the course of time, fewer and fewer people came to him, until eventually no one came back to demand a drink.
“And when you have such thoughts,” conclude the Maggid, “simply tell the yetzer hara that you are no longer involved in such matters as before, and gradually the yetzer hara will stop coming to you.”

Rav Chaim of Sanz said…
A person who points out to us the dangers of a poor road is as praiseworthy as one who tells us where to find the correct road.

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