Looking Truth in the Face
There is a certain governor who stands above the rest of the populace. The people treat him with utmost respect and obey him. I once had occasion to meet him. To my chagrin, I noticed that he refused to look at me. He would turn his head and look in a different direction or lower his gaze whenever I addressed him. I was disturbed by this strange behavior and asked him about it. To my utter amazement, he replied, “Rabbi, I am afraid to look straight into your face.”
“Why?” I asked, confounded.
“Please understand, Honored Rabbi. In my elevated capacity, I can discern between truth and falsehood. In your presence, I clearly feel that the truth rests with you. I am therefore afraid to look squarely into your face, for this would obligate me, as well, to embrace a lifestyle of truth.”
I was absolutely astounded at his words. Here is a man who recognizes the truth and feels obligated by it. He therefore faces the other way, in order to avoid its compelling force. By ignoring the truth, he is cheating no one but himself!
Unfortunately, there are many of our brethren who deny the truth. In their innermost hearts, they know where the truth rests, yet they choose to reject it. They feel that in this manner, they are not obligated to live by its tenets.
May Hashem release them from their self-imposed prison. May He extricate them from darkness to light, when they will discern the pristine light of truth and be drawn to it.
