The Yeitzer Hara Put Him in a sack

A Yid once told the Magid of Kozhnitz zy”a that he spent a lot of time mourning for the golus of the Shechinah. He said that he fasts often and afflicts himself, and he wears sackcloth on his skin. He lifted the corner of his outer garment to show the Magid the sackcloth that was under it.

The Magid gave him a stern look and said, “That’s interesting. We say that the yeitzer hara is ‘a king, an old man, and a fool’. But he doesn’t look very foolish to me. He was smart enough to successfully put you into a sack.”