What Do You See?

Rav Shaishes[1] was blind. Once, the whole town went out to see the king who was visiting. Rav Shaishes rose [from his studies] and followed the crowd. On the way, a heretic came up to him.

"Whole jugs go to the river to draw water," he laughed at Rav Shaishes, "but where do the broken jugs go?"

"Let me show you," Rav Shaishes answered him, "that I see things better than you do."

 
A huge procession passed before them with great fanfare.

"That's the king," said the heretic to Rav Shaishes.

"No, that's not the king," said Rav Shaishes.

 A second huge procession passed before them with great fanfare.

"That's the king," said the heretic to Rav Shaishes.

"No, that's not the king," said Rav Shaishes.

 
A third procession passed before them, and there was silence.

"Now, that's the king," said Rav Shaishes.

"How do you know this?" asked the heretic.

"Kingship in this world is the same as kingship of the heavens," answered Rav Shaishes. "Of Hashem's kingship the verse says, "there passed a great, strong wind that pulls down mountains and smashes rocks ... The Divine Presence was not within the wind ... after the wind came an earthquake, Hashem was not within the earthquake ... after the earthquake came a fire, Hashem was not within the fire ... and after the fire came a fine, soft voice...""[2]

(Brochos 58a)