Published January 14, 2010
R’ Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim (the Aderes) was the Rav in Ponevezh, a wealthy town. Unfortunately, the residents of the town paid him a very low wage, and he was constantly struggling to make ends meet. Realizing that the Aderes could not live on the salary he was paid in Ponevezh, the townsfolk of Mir approached him and offered him a much higher salary. The Aderes was happy to accept this new offer.
When the people of Ponevezh heard that their Rav was about to leave them, they got together and decided to offer the Aderes a wage that was far above that which he had accepted from the people of Mir.
The Aderes refused to even consider this offer, even though it would save him the tremendous bother of moving and would pay him much more.
“I have given my word to the people of Mir,” he said, “and one does not go back on his word.”
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“When a wise man looks in a mirror,” said the Baal Shem Tov, “he says all the imperfections in himself. However, when a fool looks in a mirror, all that he sees is how handsome he looks.”
Shmuel Himelstein’s Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit; A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit; and “Wisdom and Wit” available at your local Jewish bookstore
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