There was once a peddler who traveled among the villages around Tzipori peddling his wares. Wherever he went, he would call aloud, “Who wants to buy a life-giving potion? Who wants to buy an elixir of life?”

Their curiosity aroused, people would flock to hear what he had to say. Then he would take out a Tehillim (Book of Psalms) from his knapsack and show them the verse, “Who is the man who wishes life, who loves days to see goodness — guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” (Psalms 34: 12-3)

When R’ Yanai heard the commotion below his window, he went to see what was the matter. He saw the peddler and called out, “Come up here, please, and show me what you are selling.” Embarrassed, the peddler answered, “Oh, my wares are not necessary for learned rabbis like yourself!” Never¬theless, R’ Yanai insisted on hearing what the peddler had to say.

The peddler’s message caught R’ Yanai by surprise, for he exclaimed, “Until you came along, I never understood the actual interpretation of that verse!”

Is it really possible that R’ Yanai did not understand the verse until the peddler explained it to him?

One of the explanations is that people were under the impression that honesty in speech and deed only applied to Torah scholars, who studied all day and had no deal¬ings with others. Many people of the day did not believe that busi¬nessmen could say the truth, not cheat and not exag¬gerate, and still be successful businessmen. That is, until this peddler came along. He showed them that one could succeed, as he does, and still be thoroughly honest and straightforward.

The peddler told R’ Yanai that people of his caliber did not need his “elixir of life.” R’ Yanai understood the verse differently. He gained a new insight into it: “Who is the man who wishes life” does not only refer to one who wishes a good portion in the World to Come, but also to one who wishes to enjoy life on earth, “who loves days to see goodness.” How? By guarding one’s tongue from evil and his lips from deceit. This was contrary to the popular belief that one advances in this life only through deceit.

(based on Yalkut Me’am Loez, Devarim 3:929)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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