Once upon a time, a very rich but miserly man went to his rabbi and asked for his blessing.
The rabbi greeted him in a friendly manner and brought him into his living room.
Then he led the man to the window which looked out onto the street and said, ‘look out there and tell me what you see.’
‘I see people walking about,’ the rich man answered.
Then the rabbi took him away from the window and having placed a large mirror before him said, ‘look into the mirror and tell me what you see.’
‘I see myself,’ the man answered.
‘Now, my friend, let me explain the meaning of this to you.
The window is made of glass, as also is the mirror.
However, the glass of the mirror has a veneer of silver on it.
When you look through plain glass you see people.
But when you cover it with silver you stop seeing others and see only yourself.
When you are concerned only with money, you stop seeing others and see only yourself.’