Subject: In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiryahu (Barry Pessin)
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 6/24/2016, 6:17 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com
The Mishna in Avos (4;3) says don't disregard any person....as there is no person that doesn't have their time.
The simple understanding is that even people who seem "simple" and "lowly" in our eyes we should always treat them with respect as inevitably there will be some time when this person will be in a position to help you. Obviously without this fact we should treat everyone with respect but it is much easier to treat the people that we honor and need with respect than those that we don't. The Mishna is telling us that beware because in the end each person has their "time" in life and you may need their help.
There was an interesting story that circulated in the news sometime ago about a fellow in England who was rushing to a big interview. He rushed into the subway and pushed and shoved another man rudely cursing him to get out of his way. In the end he made it on time to the interview but when he entered the room and sat down for the interview he realized that the manager interviewing him was the same fellow he had pushed and shoved a few minutes before. He didn't get the job: )
Another story is told of a wonderful young man who was just engaged to a great girl. As he was driving his car he saw an older man and he offered to give him a ride. The old man took up the offer and as they proceeded the young man told him he was rushing and could only take the old man so far. The old man wasn't very happy about this and tried to explain to the young man that he would really appreciate it if he would continue taking him to his final destination. The young man became so enraged with the older man's lack of gratitude for taking him this far, that he turned his car all the way around and took the old man back to the original spot. The next day their engagement party was scheduled and as the young man walked in he saw the old man that he had dropped off the day before. Little did he know that this old man was none other than the grandfather of his fiance. When the grandfather realized this he adamantly refused to allow the marriage to go through resulting in the couple breaking up.