He Who Wins Souls Is Wise \ Mishlei
“The fruits of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Mishlei 11:30).
Once Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi visited the town where Rabbi Elazar the son of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai had lived before he passed away. Rabbi Yehuda inquired if any descendants of Rabbi Elazar lived in the town. “Yes, his son Yosi lives here, but he is immersed in promiscuity,” he was told.
Rabbi Yehuda asked that Yosi come to see him. Rabbi Yehuda sensed that a little honour would return him to the path of Torah, so he ordained him. Also, he sent him to a teacher, Rabbi Shimon ben Issi ben Lakonia.
Every day after his studies, Yosi would say, “I am going to town.” His teacher would reply, “The Sages made you a Rabbi, and you say, “I am going to town.”
Eventually, Yosi found his way back to Torah and declared, “I swear that my desire has been extinguished.”
Rabbi Yehuda quoted the verse and said, “The fruits of the righteous is a tree of life” — this refers to Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. “He who wins souls is wise” — refers to his teacher, Rabbi Shimon ben Issi ben Lakonia.
We learn an invaluable lesson from this incident. Instead of damaging a child’s self-esteem through criticism, we should redirect his energies by guiding him to a higher goal — for “he who wins souls is wise!”
(Based on Bava Metzia 85a)
