Back when he was the spiritual leader of Shaarei Zion Synagogue (today it’s Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion) in Upper Park Heights, Rabbi Joshua Shapiro – who passed away earlier this week—and I spoke by phone a few times. We never actually met, as far as I can recall, but I interviewed him on the phone for a few matters that now escape me.

Rabbi Shapiro was always very cordial to me, but one time I must’ve caught him on a bad day or maybe the issue I was calling about touched a nerve. The rabbi got rather snippy with me and eventually simply hung up the phone.

I was a bit surprised, but reporters get used to people getting brusque with them. After all, we’re often parachuting into their lives and calling about highly sensitive or personal matters that people would sometimes prefer not discussing in a public forum.

Anyway, the phone rang the next day and it was Rabbi Shapiro. “Mr. Feiler, I was a bit rude with you yesterday and I felt bad about it,” he said. “I apologize. I hope you’ll forgive me.” I was absolutely stunned since, frankly, that kind of thing doesn’t happen a lot. I told him not to worry about it and that I understood completely and appreciated the call.

But I’ve never forgotten that exchange because, let’s face it, how many of us have the inner strength, humility and capacity to recognize when we’ve screwed up, much less call the person we’ve wronged and apologize? That’s a rare quality. (As Elton John once sang, sorry seems to be the hardest word.)

Unfortunately, I never got to know Rabbi Shapiro well, but I’ve never forgotten his unique ability to simply say mea culpa. May his memory always be a blessing for his family and friends, and as we enter the High Holiday season may his example always stay with us and serve as a lesson of how to deal with each other.

Wow - what a great story and a great Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur lesson.

A powerful reminder for us all. Thank you for Teaching the lesson forward in Rabbi Shapiro’s blessed memory. A compact and hearty story.