In a particular town (Berdichev) in Russia, there lived a rich doctor who had a special quality: He served free all the needy and did not charge anything for it.
Once the doctor was traveling in his carriage stately when he saw the rabbi of the city on foot. The doctor asked the rabbi to go with him, who immediately accepted the invitation, and began to talk.
– “You know, rabbi, sometimes patients come into my office and can not afford the consultation, but I get them free!” The doctor said, raising his head to see the expression of admiration in the face of the rabbi. But the rabbi did not seem at all impressed with the philanthropy of the doctor and said:
“- NU, I also do so.”
The doctor imagined the rabbi receive people who come for advice and guidance and does not charge for hisr services, then he added:
“- But Rebbe, when these patients do not have money to buy their medicine, I take money from my pocket and pay for the drugs.” The doctor again raises his head to see the reaction of the Rabbi, but again the rabbi showed himself indifferent and replied:
“- NU!, I also do so.”
The doctor tried to interpret that the rabbi’s attitude, helping also the needy people with his own resources, and then added:
“Rebbe, when I see that there are really needy families, I pay the hospital and even some household expenses.”
This time the doctor was certain that the rabbi can not overcome it, but again the rabbi replied:
“-NU! I also do so”
The doctor broke down and asked:
“- What? You mean, thet you financially help many families like me?
“The rabbi replied:
“- No, I meant that I do like you, good things I do I speak for everyone, but the wrong things I do not tell anyone”
We are in the month of Elul, and we need to take stock of our actions, we need to know what we did good, but we can not forget what we need to change and correct.
