Time for self examination

As the end of this year rushes upon us we all begin many self-examinations and I thought an old story was appropriate. It goes like this: A man came to an elderly rabbi and said, “You Jews use a special form of reasoning, called Talmudic, which explains your cleverness. I want you to teach it to me.”

“My friend,” sighed the old rabbi, “I am afraid you might not be able to.”

“Nonsense! Why?”

“Well, when Jewish boys wish to study the Talmud- we first give them three questions. Those lads that answer all three correct are allowed to study the Talmud; those who can’t, are not.”

The man frowned and demanded, “Give me the exam.”

The rabbi shrugged and gave him the first question: Two men fall down a chimney. One emerges filthy, covered with soot; the other emerges clean. Which one washes?”

“The dirty one of course,”sneered the man.”
“Wrong, sir. The clean one washes.”
“The clean one?” the man was astonished. “Why?”
“When the two emerge,”explained the rabbi, “they look at each other, correct? The dirty one looks at the clean one and thinks, ‘wow we came out clean’. But the clean one looks at the dirty one and says, Holy Mackerel! We really got dirty. And he washes.”

‘Ah,” the man says, “very clever. Now, what is the second question?”

“The second question is this: Two men fall down a chimney. One emerges filthy, covered with soot; the other emerges clean. Which...”
“Whoa, that’s the same question,” roared the man.

“No it is not. This time the dirty man washes. The clean man looks at the dirty man and says how dirty we must be, but when he looks at his hands he sees he is clean. Likewise the dirty man looks at the clean man and thinks how clean they must be, but realizes he is dirty when he looks at his hands. So the dirty man washes.”

“Clever, Jew,” said the man, “very clever. Now give me the third question. You won’t fool me again.”

“Very well, here it is: Two men fall down a chimney. One emerges filthy, covered with soot; the other emerges clean.”

“Wait a minute, that’s the same question!” cried the man.

“Wrong,”said the rabbi. “The words may be the same-but the problem is entirely new. Which man washes?”
“The dirty one!” snapped the man.
“Wrong,” murmured the rabbi.
“The clean one!”
“I am sorry,” said the rabbi, “wrong again.”

“Then what is the answer?” seethed the man.

“The right answer,” replied the rabbi, “ is that this is a cuckoo examination! How can two men fall down the same chimney and one come out dirty and the other come out clean? Anyone that doesn’t see that at once will, I am afraid, never be able to understand the Talmud.”

  Now a new story from me: Two men read their Holy Writings and one comes out very very perfect and the other not so perfect. Which one must repent?

Silly isn’t it how we work hard in life to gain labels and at the same time work to get rid of labels. So this year don’t take the silly examine of constant repentance, just work at being the image of God as you see it.