A "fitting" application of a prudent mishnah

Earlier this month, concerned about the consequences of merrymakers overdoing things in their Purim celebrations, I wrote:

At Avot 2:13 Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel describes the "good path" as that taken by the person who foresees the consequences of his or her actions.

This observation is not aimed solely at people who are more fun to deal with when they are sober. It is of general application, including those that have nothing to do with the niceties of religious practice.

A couple of days ago I visited one of our local general stores. Once upon a time it was quite shabby and poorly lit, but shortly before Covid it received a welcome and somewhat overdue internal overhaul. Old wooden shelving was replaced by smart new display units on which the goods on sale were piled floor-to-ceiling. Like many stores of its kind, this one had narrow aisles that particularly favoured customers who were slender and unencumbered by buggies.

When I got to the store, I spotted that it had taken delivery of a number of smart heavy duty flat-pack display units for some of its better-selling products. Staff members had taken a few of them inside the store and immediately began to assemble them. Once they had done so, the horrible truth emerged: they were of no use since there was nowhere to put any of them without blocking the aisles to the point of impassability. Since they were large and bulky, manoeuvring them down the aisles towards the exit was tricky, especially on account of their large size.

Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel would have been happy to offer his advice here, I’m sure. A moment’s thought would have revealed how prudent it would have been to work out first where the display units might go and then to measure them up to see if they would fit. Time and effort would have been spared and several tempers would have remained considerably cooler.