Wisdom lies in simplicity

🎧 Listen to the original voice message from La Jardinera

My dear seeds,

In a city there were two rabbis, they were walking in the city and they met, evidently they were all going to the main square. And there when they met they greeted each other, they were happy to see each other and said we each have to give our sermon and we are going to speak, each one to recite the Torah.

So they wished each other good luck, the first rabbi began to speak, he quoted the prophets, the sons of the sons, where they descended from, where they came from, who was the father, the patriarch, the sons, the grandsons, the great-great-grandsons, where the kings were, where they came from, where they descended from.

He spoke so much, he explained so much. And at the beginning there were so many people, so many people listening attentively, the other rabbi went to the other side.

And he sat down and began to speak, and he said:

Look, it's going to be very simple what I'm going to tell you, each time you do good, you have to think that you do it to yourselves. Every time you wish something bad, for your neighbour or for someone who has said something to you, think that it is going to fall on you, so change that thought and wish luck and the best for yourselves. And also when you have the thought of going to steal or take something that doesn't belong to you, think what will be the face of those people, what surprise they will have when they go to look for their object, it could be a cart, it could be a bread, a horse, and they don't find it.

Would you like that?

And they all said, "no, no, Rabbi, no."

"Well, that's life."

And he went on explaining to him, explaining things from day to day.

If you have to make food and you don't like it, start by thinking about what you would like to eat, something tasty, something good, think about yourself and you will see that the others will be delighted.

If you want to be well dressed, well groomed, think about how to do it, or if you are tired, look for the cause of that tiredness and then you will understand why when you see people sitting on the floor or not working, work being in front of them, you will understand why.

Speaking like this, so simply, all those people who were with the first rabbi came, they came with him, all of them, like flies, and they came near.

Then the first rabbi came closer, held on for a moment and the second rabbi, seeing him, said: "Well, so much for today's lesson. Now you may rise and each of you go home and to your labours."

They got up, said thank you and left.

The first rabbi was not happy, he had a bit of a sour look on his face and said,

I want you to explain to me, why do I go to such lengths to recite the Torah, to speak well, to tell the truth, to tell the essence? And I have not been listened to, and you are talking about such simple things and you have so many people and they are always listening to you.

So the rabbi, second, said to him, "Don't worry, I'll explain it to you now."

He says,

• Look how simple it is, when you go to buy a piece of jewellery, isn't it true that rich people always go to buy a diamond, an emerald, 20 carat gold and always go for the most expensive, isn’t that right?

• Yes, that's normal,

• But how many people do you see in that jewellery shop?

He stared at him and said, "Oh, very few people!

• Well, now, take a good look at this jewellery shop, the one I'm in, I sell trinkets, I sell what they understand, I place myself at their level, how many people are there in this shop?

• There were so many people that it was impossible to get close to you,

• This is what people need, the more you sell trinkets, the more they will listen to you and the better you will understand, and they will understand. But if you sell rich and luxurious jewellery, they will neither understand you, nor will they buy it.

The first rabbi understood very well, he thanked him and they both went to eat together, they laughed, and the first one understood very well, that not always, wearing that righteousness, and the neck so high, will we be better nor will others listen to us more.

That is why Buddha said, do not look behind you at the past, it is already done, and do not look at the present, because you will forget the future, let our mind guide you.

And with these words, and all my love,

Your Jardinera