A certain rabbi accepted the appointment to a new village only after a great amount of pleading from the people. They promised that he would have ample time for study. He finally agreed to the new appointment with one stipulation: the leaders were not to demand his attendance at public meetings of the town unless they were considering a new custom.
Time passed, and the city council was proposing a new ordinance that would forbid paupers to beg on the streets or to knock on the doors of homes in the village. Instead, they would be given a monthly grant from village funds. A delegation approached the rabbi to ask that he be present when they discussed the new law.
"You promised not to bother me with discussions concerning old regulations," the rabbi protested.
"Dear rabbi," the leader explained, "this is a new piece of legislation."
The rabbi was quick to respond. "There is nothing novel in your proposal. Long ago, in Sodom and Gomorrah, they had a law forbidding people to give alms to the poor."
The proposal was immediately removed from the village agenda.
 

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