In a shop in Poland stood an elderly Jew with a white beard, selling goods to customers. Sitting next to him was a young man with a black beard. From time to time, the young man would yell at the older Jew and get angry with him.
When one of the customers witnessed the young man's behavior and how he treated the older Jew, he spoke up:
"Are you not ashamed? Where is your refinement and respect (derech eretz)? Is this how one speaks to an elderly Jew?"
But both Jews-the older one and the younger one-smiled, and the young man replied: "I will tell you a story. When I was a small child, I had the merit to know the holy Baal Shem Tov (Besht), and I was also privileged to pray with him in his study hall (Beis Midrash).
"Once, the Baal Shem Tov lost his prayerbook (siddur), which caused him great distress. Everyone searched for it, but it could not be found. I decided to go and help search for the siddur. G-d helped me, and I found it. When I handed the siddur to the Baal Shem Tov, he blessed me that I should merit long days and years, and that I should always look young and healthy. Now do you understand? I am not a young man at all; I am well over one hundred years old. And the Jew next to me with the long white beard is my son—and that is why I am allowed to behave this way with him in my shop.
Reprinted from the Parshas Naso 5786 edition of Pardes Yehuda.