Fire!

Once, Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, zt”l, was informed that an ostensibly observant Jew had been seen violating the Shabbos by lighting a fire. The Rav rushed to the home of the perpetrator and, indeed, spied a column of smoke rising from the man’s chimney.

Without even so much as knocking, the Rav burst in the house and exclaimed, “Could it be that you profaned the holy Shabbos and lit a fire? It’s an act that is chayav kares!”

The homeowner remained absolutely calm. He had anticipated all along that his pious neighbors would surely take offense at his blatant disregard for Shabbos and react violently. With aplomb, he retorted with a question of his own.

“How can you burst into my house without even knocking?” the man fired back. “Is this proper etiquette—to barge into another man’s domicile without even asking his leave? Have you no respect for the rights of a man over his own private space?”

Rav Sonnenfeld shot back vehemently, “Rules of etiquette hardly apply when there is clear and present danger to life and limb! I heard that there was a fire in your house—naturally, I burst in to try and avert the catastrophe!”