In Ropchitz, the town where Rabbi Naftali lived, it was the custom for the rich people whose house stood isolated or at the far end of the town to hire men to watch over their property by night. Late one evening when Rabbi Naftali was skirting the woods which circled the city, he met such a watchman walking up and down.

“For whom are you working?” he asked. The man told him and then inquired in his turn” And for whom are you working, Rabbi?”

The words struck the tzaddik like a shaft.

“I am not working for anybody just yet,” he barely managed to say. Then he walked up and down beside the man for a long time.

“Will you be my servant?” he finally asked.

“I should like to,” the man replied, “but what would be my duties?”

“To remind me of the One to who I am of service .”