The Beggar and the Trickster
One day, a prankster was on the lookout for his next victim. He spotted a poor man entering the town and, naturally, saw an opportunity.
With a grin, he greeted the beggar warmly. "Ah, my friend! How are you?"
The beggar, looking like he’d just been through the wringer, sighed and said, "How am I doing? I haven't eaten in two days, and I have no place to rest. How do you think I'm doing?"
The trickster, ever the opportunist, feigned sympathy. "Don’t worry, my friend. I’ll take care of you. Come with me, I’ll give you food, a place to sleep, and all the comforts you deserve."
What he didn’t mention was that he wasn’t leading the beggar to his own home, but to a nearby inn. He spoke to the innkeeper, giving him strict instructions to provide the beggar with all the food and drink he could handle—and, of course, a nice room for the night.
A few days later, the beggar packed up his meager belongings and went to leave. But as he stepped out the door, the innkeeper caught him by the arm. "Where do you think you're going?" the innkeeper demanded. "You have a bill to pay!"
It was then that the beggar realized he’d been had. The trickster had arranged everything, but of course, he hadn’t paid a single penny. Now, the innkeeper was confiscating his suitcase, leaving the beggar with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Upset, the beggar wandered outside, sat down on a bench, and pondered his next move. How could I get my things back? What now?
And who should appear but the very trickster, posing like a completely different person in new clothes. The beggar, in his turmoil, didn’t recognize him.
The poor man related his sorrows, and the trickster was quick to give advice.
"You’ve really made a mess of things, haven’t you?" he said with mock concern. "How could you be so foolish as to trust a stranger who clearly had no good intentions?"
"But listen," the trickster continued, "now that your suitcase is gone, what’s the use of trying to get it back? Why not enjoy a few more days at the inn? You've already paid the price—might as well enjoy it while you can!"
The Advice of the Yetzer Hara
"Rejoice, young man, in your youth... and go in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these, God will bring you to judgment." (Kohelet 11:9)
At first glance, it might seem like King Solomon is giving the green light to indulging in every youthful whim. “Go ahead,” he seems to say, “live it up. Worry about the consequences later.”
Rav Huna, in Shabbat 63, explained: "Until here, the evil inclination is speaking. After this, the good inclination speaks."
The evil inclination, much like the trickster in our story, whispers in the ears of the young, encouraging them to enjoy the pleasures of life without any thought of the future. "Go on," it says, "have a good time. Tomorrow is another day."
Then, as one grows older, the evil inclination shifts gears. It no longer urges pleasure for its own sake. Now, it adopts the voice of the good inclination. "Look at the mess you've made," it says. "You’ve wasted so much time. You’ve ruined everything. You can never fix it now. What’s the point? You might as well enjoy what little time is left. You’re too far gone for redemption."
Sound familiar? It's the same trick the trickster played on the poor man. “You’ve already lost it, my friend. Might as well make the best of it. Enjoy a few more days at the inn!"
Rav Huna’s point is this: the very thought that it’s "too late" to repair the damage—that’s the evil inclination speaking. The end of the verse—"but know that for all these, God will bring you to judgment"—that is also the evil impulse speaking. It wants you to believe that change is impossible, that you’re stuck, that there’s no way out.
The message of the good inclination is the opposite: there’s always a way back. Even if you’ve lost your suitcase, you can still find your way to redemption. You don’t need to enjoy a few more days living it up at the inn. You can walk out and start fresh. Every day is a new chance.
