So let me share a wonderful story with you:
The Rabbi’s Tale
This is a story told by Rabbi Daniel Lapin in his book The Severed Flower. I am quoting Rabbi Lapin:
. . . let me tell you what happened to one of my teachers, a great rabbi. On a trip to Israel he found himself seated next to the head of the Israeli socialist movement. As the plane took off, my teachers’ son, sitting several rows behind, came forward and said, ‘Father, let me take your shoes; I have your slippers here. You know how your feet swell on the airplane.’ A few minutes later, he came and said, ‘Here are the sandwiches Mother sent; I know you don’t like the airline food.’
This went on in similar fashion for some time, and finally, the head of Israel’s socialist movement turned to my teacher and said, ‘I don’t get this. I have four sons. They’re grown now. But in all my life I don’t recall them ever offering to do anything at all for me. Why is your son doing all of this?'
And the rabbi said, ‘You have to understand. You mustn’t blame yourself. Your sons are faithful to your teachings, and my sons are faithful to my teachings. It’s simple, you see. You made the decision to teach your sons that they are descended from apes. That means that you are one generation closer to the ape than they. And that means that it is only proper and appropriate that you acknowledge their status and that you serve them. But, you see, I chose to teach my sons that we came from God Himself. And that puts me one generation closer to the ultimate truth, and that means it’s only appropriate that they treat me accordingly.
Somehow, I think this story is a good capstone for this course because its about the power of ideas and the liberty to live by those ideas and to transmit them to to your children.
Good luck on your exams next week and have a great holiday weekend.
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