“Please save my daughter’s life!” begged the poor small town shoemaker to a doctor who thought more of his fees than of his patients. “What if I don’t cure her?” asked the doctor. “Whether you cure her or kill her, I’ll pay you.” The treatment started, but the patient died within a few days. Shortly after, the doctor demanded his fee. The shoemaker refused to pay, and as was the custom, the matter was brought before the local rabbi for adjudication. The sage understood right away what had happened. “Tell me,” he said to the physician, “what was your contract with this man?” “I was to get paid regardless of whether I cured or killed her.” “Did you cure her?” “No.” “Did you kill her?” “No, certainly not.” “Then, since you neither cured or killed her, what right have you to your fee?”
“제 딸 좀 살려주세요!” 작은 고장에서 구둣방을 하는 사람이 그 고장 의사를 찾아갔는데 의사는 치료보다 돈을 더 밝히는 사람이었다. 의사가 물었다. “병이 낫지 않으면 어떡하죠?” “살려주건 죽이건 간에 돈은 드립죠.” 그리하여 치료를 시작했으나 환자는 며칠 뒤 그만 죽었다. 의사는 진료비를 청구했으나 구둣방 주인은 지급을 거부했다. 관례에 따라 문제는 율법 박사의 중재를 받게 됐다. 일의 기미를 재빨리 눈치챈 현명한 박사는 의사에게 계약조건을 물었다. “살리든 죽이든 돈을 받기로 했습니다.” “살려준 건가요?” “아뇨.” “그럼 그 여자를 죽인 건가요?” “천만에요.” “그렇다면 살려준 것도 죽인 것도 아니니 돈 달라 소리는 못하겠군.”