Once there was a poor man named Avraham. He, and his wife and six children lived a meager life in a small wooden hut at the end of the road. Often there was no more than bread and tea to eat, but there was always room at his table and in his heart for guests.
One day a very holy looking Jew appeared at his door and asked if he could enter. “Avraham,” the guest said, “ you don't know me but I know you. Your kindness is remarkable and I am going to give you a blessing for wealth... Just don't let it go to your head. Keep your heart open to the poor and unfortunate.
Avraham promised, and the mysterious man blessed him and left. A week later Avraham found a box filled with golden coins. He invested the money made a lot of right decisions and a month later found himself am rich man surrounded by other wealthy men. He bought out factories, advised investors purchased a big mansion for himself... In short, in a half a year he was a big wheel and completely forgot his promise to worry for the unfortunate, he was simply too busy.
After a year of this, the holy Jew reappeared, entered the mansion without knocking and walked into Avraham's study. Avraham looked up at the intruder and when he realized whom it was, he stood up, forced a huge smile and opened his arms in feigned joy. “Ahh Rabbi! What a pleasure to see you! What a wonderful surprise! How happy I am!!!” (Avraham, now a businessman, learned to think quickly in all situations.)
“Come let me show you around my house. It's really all yours, ha ha! Don't think I've forgotten. I've been very busy though, and you know...” The Rabbi was walking through the rooms examining everything and Avraham was trying to keep up with him, “ I'm not used to all this money yet, ha ha! But as soon as things get settled down I'm... Uh, excuse me Rabbi but what are you doing to that mirror? It's a real beauty isn't it! I had it sent specially from France. Why are you scraping off the silver on the back?!”
The Rabbi paid no attention, he had a little pocketknife and he was scraping at the corner of the huge mirror that blocked Avraham's front window. When he had scraped off a bit, he looked at Avraham pointed to the rest of the mirror and said, “Look here Avraham. What do you see?”.
Avraham looked and answered, “Why I see myself Rabbi”.
“And what do you see over here where I scraped off some silver?” The Rabbi asked.
“Well Rabbi, I used to see my reflection but now that you scraped off that coating on the back I can't see my reflection.”“Please Avraham” the Rabbi interrupted, “I asked you to tell me what you DO see.”
Avraham looked again at the scratched mirror, “Through the mirror I can out the front window into the street.”
“And who do you see in the street? Tell me everything you see.”
“Well I see Zalman the water carrier and Sara the widow with a few of her children, and Shlomo the beggar and some of the boys from the yeshiva who don't look so great either.”
The Rebbe put his hand over the mirror, to show that the lesson was over, and waited for Avraham to look him in the eyes.
“You see Avraham... because of a little covering of silver ... all you see is yourself!”
