A Soulful Journey

A woman on a train walked up to a distinguished looking gentleman across the aisle.   “Excuse me,” she said, “but are you Jewish?” “No,” replied the man. A few minutes later the woman returned, “Excuse me,” she said again, “but are you sure you are not Jewish?” “I’m sure,” replied the man. But the woman was not convinced, and a few minutes later she approached him for a third time.   “Are you absolutely sure you’re not Jewish?” “All right, all right,” the man said.   “You win.   I am Jewish.” “That’s funny,” said the woman.   “You don’t look Jewish.”

In the Talmud the story is told of  a man would took a wager that he could anger Hillel, who was known as an extraordinarily patient man.  If he succeeded in making Hillel upset he would get ten gold dinars.  If not, he would have to pay. On the eve of Shabbat as Hillel was immersed in the ritual bath, the man approached the venerable teacher and hollered, "Hillel!  Hillel!  Come out here.  I have a question.  Why do Babylonians have such round heads?" Hillel reflected for a moment and then replied, "That is an interesting question.  They have round heads for a simple reason.  It is because Babylonians have no skilled midwives." Hillel returned to the bathhouse. "Hillel!  Hillel!" the man yelled once again.  "I have a question.  Why are the inhabitants of Palmyra so bleary-eyed?" "Hmm," said Hillel.  "That is a difficult question.  I suspect it may be because they they live in wind-swept, sandy regions." Five mi...