A young man once went to the home of an older Chassid. He knocked on the door but nobody answered. He knocked again; he came back- tried repeatedly- until finally the older Chassid answered the door. And the young man said: “I came to get instruction to be taught how to be a mentsch. Teach me how to be a mentsch”. The older Chassid replied “the lesson has already begun. I didn’t let you in when I didn’t want you to come in, and I do let you in when I want you to come in. A mentsch can bring in what he wants and leave out what he doesn’t want. A mentsch is not a victim of his environment”.
