Worse Than Bilaam

Rav Getzil once overheard a tumult. A wandering maggid visiting Ostrog had given his drashah and was outraged by a payment that he considered well below his standard. He was berating and cursing the baalei batim when Rav Getzil came by.

Rav Getzil turned to the angry darshan and said, “You know, you are even worse than Bilaam. When Bilaam wanted to curse Bnei Yisroel, he asked for houses full of gold and silver, but the brachos he gave for free. You, however, want a lot of money for your brachos, yet your curses you are willing to give us for free.”