There was much excitement that the king was coming and everyone wanted to greet the king. Rav Sheshes (c. 290–320 ce), when he heard that the whole city was going out to welcome the King, he went out also. He did this in spite of the fact that he was blind.

As he made his way to the outskirts of the city, he met an arrogant apikoros (one who disrespects a Torah scholar and scoffs at the religious way of life) who asked him: “A full pitcher is taken to the river to bring water, not a broken one. Why are you going if you cannot see, anyway?”

Rav Sheshes answered, “Come along, I’ll show you how my sense of hearing and my knowledge are as good as your eyesight.”

As they were waiting, they heard a cheers and loud shouts rising from the crowd as one of the King’s battalions rode by. The apikoros informed Rav Sheshes, “The King just went by.”

Rav Sheshes countered, “No! what you say is not true!”

A second division of troops passed and there was another loud commotion, the apikoros smugly said, “The King just passed.”

Rav Sheshes again replied, “No! The King has not come yet.”

Then a mounted unit of soldiers rode by, the crowd was silent and calm.

The apikoros pridefully said, “The King is riding by.”

 

”This time you are correct,” responded Rav Sheshes.

“How do you know this?” asked the apikoros.

Rav Sheshes explained, “The behavior of mortal Kings follows the same pattern as that of the heavenly kingdom. The heavenly kingdom is described in Nevi’im, the Prophets, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the L-rd, for the L-rd is about to pass by. Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the L-rd, but the L-rd was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the L-rd was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the L-rd was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.” (1 Kings 19:11-13)

Therefore, I knew that the King was not here when there was a loud commotion and a lot of noise. On the contrary, when it was calm and quiet, I knew this time the King was going by.”

As the king passed Rav Sheshes began to bless him. The apikoros mockingly said to him: Do you bless someone you do not see? It is said by some say that Rav Sheshes fixed his gaze upon him, and the apikoros lost all sight since he blinded himself to the light of Torah, faith and hoiliness.

Based on Berachos 58a

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