One Yom Kippur, as the Maggid of Dubno entered the synagogue, he noticed that it was more crowded than usual. People he had never seen were attending the service. He ascended the pulpit and addressed the congregation with the following parable:

A merchant once toiled for many years and established a prosperous business. However, due to a series of poor investments, he eventually lost all his wealth, and was even in debt to one creditor for 8,000 rubles.

The poor merchant felt miserable. To whom could he turn? His friends advised him to approach his creditor and plead his cause.

When the creditor heard the man’s woeful tale, he said sympathetically, “Stop crying! You owe me nothing. I’m ripping up your promissory notes and starting a clean slate. May you succeed at restarting your business. You can count on me for help!”

When another businessman heard of this creditor’s fabulous generosity, he tried his luck at liquidating his debt with the same creditor. He assumed he would surely succeed, as he owed 5,000 rubles less than the other merchant! That evening he approached the creditor and related his feigned sob-story.

“Stop crying,” cautioned the creditor. “It will do you no good. You must pay every cent of the 5,000 rubles you owe me.”

“But why did you forgive the other merchant?” he demanded.

“How can you compare yourself to him?” asked the creditor. “I have been doing business with him for years. He has proven his trustworthiness. And you? I hardly ever see you! You seem to visit me only when I offer bargains.”

The Maggid of Dubno concluded his speech and gazed seriously at his large audience. “Need I be more explicit?” he asked as he left the pulpit.

—Heard from Yossi Greenberg

 

“Don’t be afraid of going slowly;
be afraid of standing still.”