Singing to a Different Tune
As I entered the Beit Hamidrash one day, my ears were assailed by an inappropriate tune. Since I was covered with a tallit, the man humming the tune did not notice me immediately. As I turned my head toward him, he took note of my presence and fell silent. He apologized, stating that he was not aware that I had arrived.
Since we were among others, I did not want to openly rebuke him. Instead, I asked softly, “You are ashamed to sing such songs before me. But what about Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Whose glory fills the world? How can you sing such a despicable song in the Beit Hamidrash, the place of His Shechinah? Where is your yirat Shamayim? Where is your shame before your Maker, Who sustains you every moment of life?”
I hoped that my words made their mark and reinforced his yirat Shamayim.
