True Humility

The story is told of the rabbi that went to have dinner with a very demanding man. The owner of the home was known for a quick temper and would discharge employees without notice or a second chance to correct a mistake. The cook placed the pot of soup before the rabbi to serve the others. This was the custom. The rabbi would taste the food and then allow the others to be served. On this occasion, the rabbi tasted the food and continued to eat. He literally made a "pig" of himself. He finished the entire pot and asked was there any more. The cook responded that there was a little left in the kitchen. The rabbi asked for the remainder. He ate all the soup. No one else had anything to eat but the rabbi. The owner of the home and the students of the rabbi that had accompanied him to dinner were all stunned. They had never seen the rabbi behave in such a manner. The rabbi excused himself from the table and he and his students left. When they were outside, his students asked him about his bizarre behavior. The rabbi responded, "When I tasted the soup, I realized that the cook had put too much oil in the soup. If the owner had tasted the soup, he would have fired the cook on the spot. Therefore, I made a pig of myself to protect the cook's job."

The rabbi put the needs of another ahead of his reputation. Would you have done so? Do you value your reputation above the needs of another? The rabbi displayed true humility.