אל תהי בז לכל חכם (אבות ד:ג)

Rev Shmiel was giving a shiur to his talmidim when a woman came running in screaming: “Rebbi…I placed a piece of unsalted meat on my window, and a cat came and ate it.  What is the halacha…with the cat?”

The talmidim controlled themselves from bursting out laughing but seeing Reb Shmiel seriously contemplating the answer; they remained silent.  Reb Shmiel answered the woman in all seriousness, “The cat can continue roaming around, but I ask you to be careful next time not to place unsalted meat where a cat can eat it!”

Reb Shmiel explained himself to his talmidim when the woman left the room. “If I would’ve embarrassed the woman, then the next time she had a rightful question, she would be embarrassed to come and ask the question. Therefore I answered her question…”