It Must Have Been a Mistake
By Rabbi Reuven Semah
One great educator in Jerusalem said something very powerful. “You know with children it’s important to bear in mind the power of parental judgment and the narrative they carry about their children. Never say, ‘We knew all along he was going to turn out bad.’ That’s called a self-fulfilling prophecy.” There are so many ways to avoid the self-fulfilling prophecy. Our words can be so powerful in helping to form a different perception.
Rav Aharon of Belz zt”l once hired a local handyman to do some minor repairs in his home. While the man was busy taking care of the work, the Rebbe overheard others in the room whisper in an undertone, “I can’t believe that the Rebbe hired him. It’s well-known that this Jew works on Shabbat!”
The Belzer Rebbe immediately spoke up and said loudly, “That’s impossible! And if he did work on Shabbat, it must have been a mistake. He must have confused the days and thought it was Friday!”
The Rebbe then turned to the workman who had clearly heard the whole exchange and had remained silent. The Rebbe said gently, “Isn’t that right? You got confused and thought it was Friday and not Shabbat?”
The worker looked abashed and didn’t say a word. The Rebbe again said softly, “You must have mixed up the days and thought it was Friday, correct?”
But the worker stood stock still and wouldn’t open his mouth. For the third time, the Rebbe pleaded with great feeling, “Didn’t you really believe it was Friday and not the holy Shabbat?”
At the Rebbe’s final, exquisitely gentle insistence, the Jewish laborer mouthed, “Yes,” and then burst into tears! The entire room was astounded at the depth of his emotion. And from that moment the handyman became a Shomer Shabbat.
Reprinted from the Parashat Ki Tesse 5784 email of Rabbi David Bibi’s Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace. Originally published in the South Jersey Shore Torah Bulletin.
