The World Cannot Exist With Only Goodness:
Rav Yitzchok of Vorka zy”a once delivered a drasha about the importance of honesty in business. He criticized the practice of milkmen who water down the milk or grocers who put salt into the sugar and the like. He concluded by saying, “The pasuk says that one who does not do things like that will merit a long life. How can anyone not take that seriously?”
There was a milkman who was present during the speech. He realized that he had been acting wrongly, as he had always watered down his milk. He decided then and there never to do that again. However, the next day his customers complained that his milk didn’t taste as good or became spoiled.
The milkman approached the Rebbe and told him that he had done what was right but it had ruined his milk! The Rebbe told him, “You should know, my son, that since the sin of the eitz hadaas, good and bad are mixed together, and the world cannot live with only goodness. What you should do is to put one drop of water into the milk fulfill the obligation to have a bit of bad mixed with the good.”
