Excerpt from The Blind Angel: New Old Chassidic Tales, by Rabbi Tovia Halberstam, translated and retold by Joshua Halberstam

The Radomsker Rebbe combines depth and humor by staging two Chassidic Sages, an unemployed yetzer hara and a game of cards, in order to convey a message on the importance of repentance.

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Yoelish was one of the modern ones. Already in his youth he spouted the “enlightened” ideas of the day, eager to contribute his cosmopolitan perspective to whatever discussion swirled around the table. But don’t think for a moment Yoelish was some sort of innovative thinker. Hardly. He was merely one of those who confused the current with the advanced.

Nor should you imagine that Yoelish was some kind of radical. In fact, he was a proper Chasidic Jew, as were most people in his shtetl. He dressed like a Chasid and participated in all the appropriate rituals; on occasion, you might even catch him swaying during prayers with all the fervor of the genuinely pious. But people in town knew better. They heard him talk; they read his expressions. There was no doubting that the fellow had been infected with the virus of heresy.

That was long ago. These days, the elderly Yoelish spent his days in the public park, reading the papers, talking politics and gossiping with his companions.

One day, the Radomsker Rebbe was strolling in the park and, noticing Yoelish sitting on a bench, walked over to wish him a good afternoon.

“So, what does a Jew do here all day?” asked the rebbe, after exchanging the usual greetings.

“What does one do?” Yoelish answered, turning his palms toward the sky. “We relax, warm ourselves in the sun, read a little of the news, talk foolishness. Pleasant, idle days.”

“Pleasant idle days?” said the rebbe. “And this is enough for you? Don’t you think you ought to spend your time doing something more meaningful? Now in your later years, isn’t it time you gave some thought to repentance?”

“So what’s the big sin of sitting on a park bench, enjoying God’s world?” Yoelish replied. “What else do you expect me to do?”

“What else?” the rebbe exclaimed. “I can tell you what else. A man like you should be sitting in the beis medrash, studying Torah.”

“Me, study? No, I’m afraid my mind is no longer up to that. Whatever I learn goes in and right out. So what would be the point? I’m better off sitting here, where at least I get fresh air.”

The rebbe smiled and shook his head. “No, it isn’t better that you sit here. Your so-called pleasant idling takes away the little employment assigned to the yetzer hara, the evil inclination. I’ll tell you a brief story that will help you see why.”

With nothing else competing for his time, Yoelish leaned back and listened.

As you know, Yoelish, the two holy brothers, Reb Elimelech and Reb Zusha, of blessed memories, traveled around the countryside, spreading the teachings of Chasidism. One day, they entered a kretchma and noticed a group of elderly Jews sitting around a table engrossed in a game of cards. You could tell from the dress of these men, their beards and sidelocks, that they were fine, observant Jews. The two brothers wanted to interrupt their game and discuss more important religious matters, but were unable to draw their attention.

“Zusha,” Reb Elimelech nudged his brother, “these old Jews are not lifting their eyes from their cards for even a moment. Go talk to them.” After some hesitation and more urging from his older brother, Reb Zusha walked over to their table and placed his hand on the deck, preventing the dealer from distributing the cards. “Pardon my interruption, but are you aware that with your card playing, you are ruining the mission of the yetzer hara?”

“Just because we’re playing some cards?” one of the men asked, grinning.

“Indeed,” said Reb Zusha, taking a seat around the table. “Let me tell you why.”

One day, the yetzer hara was ambling about and found himself in the Garden of Eden. He was shocked to encounter souls he recognized as notorious sinners. He ought to know—after all, he’d worked hard to lead these people to sin. So what were they doing in heaven?

The yetzer hara went up to the Heavenly Abode to ask for an explanation.

“They repented at their end of their lives,” he was told.

“And that’s enough?” stammered the yetzer hara. “What about their sins? Their multitude of sins, I might add.”

Said the Heavenly Abode, “When these people repented, the transgressions of their youth were disregarded. And so, they were accorded a place in the Garden of Eden.”

The Evil Inclination shook his head in disbelief. So much for my inviting temptations and clever manipulations, he thought. How pleased he’d been by his victories! Now, he saw, they were all for naught.

The yetzer hara turned to the Heavenly Abode. “With Your kind permission, I’d like to resign from this job. It’s a pointless mission. I do what I’m assigned, and do it well, only to learn my work has been in vain. No, thank you. I quit.”

The Evil Inclination’s request was accepted and a new Evil Inclination was appointed in his stead.

Reb Zusha paused to look at the old men sitting at the table, who urged him to continue.

Some time later, the former yetzer hara met his replacement.

“How’s business?” he inquired.

“Good. Things are going well.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. Thank God, I’m busy day and night convincing people to do wrong. It’s a full-time occupation, as you know.”

“But don’t you realize what a waste of time this is?” the former Evil Inclination cautioned. “Aren’t you aware that when these sinners of yours attain old age and no longer have that youthful desire to transgress, they can repent, and all their sins will be forgiven?”

The new appointee chuckled. “Of course I’m aware. That’s precisely the reason I do most of my work, not with the young, but with the old. I make sure that penitence is not on their agenda. I’m no fool.”

Reb Zusha now spoke directly to the card players.

“So you see, you gentlemen are making it too easy for the Evil Inclination. He doesn’t have to bother with you—sitting here playing cards with not a thought about repentance. He doesn’t have to pay you any attention.”

The men stroked their gray beards, and ended their game.

The Radomsker Rebbe put his hand gently on Yoelish’s shoulder. “I assume you understand the meaning of this tale. If you spent your days in the beis medrash engaged in Torah study and prayer, you’d have thoughts of repentance, and thereby provide a formidable contest for the Evil Inclination. But spending your days here on the park bench in pleasant idleness, you leave the Evil Inclination with nothing to do. Why not present him with a little challenge?”