My Friend Has a Problem

A gentleman was having a private audience with the fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe - Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn. "Rebbe, I have a friend who did something truly terrible. He is so ashamed that he is embarrassed to even show his face. He has sent me to ask you for advice on how to rectify his mistake."

The Rebbe, sensing who the 'friend' really was, replied: "Tell your 'friend' to come by himself. If he is embarrassed, he can just make up a story and tell me that 'his friend' has a problem...."

If human conditions can be rectified the way a mathematician resolves a arithmetic puzzle, we can apply advice that was given to a friend's problem to our own dilemmas. Until then, we must consult with our spiritual advisor to tailor a spiritual plan unique to our situation.