An Israeli traveler, tired from walking, asked a passing wagon driver if he could get a ride. The driver gladly agreed and let him on.
The traveler asked, “How long does it take to get to Jerusalem from here?”
The driver replied, “About 30 minutes.”
Relieved, the traveler closed his eyes to take a nap. After a while, he woke up and asked again, “How much longer until we get to Jerusalem?”
The driver answered, “About an hour from here.”
The traveler was confused. “You said it would only take 30 minutes—why is it now an hour?”
The driver calmly replied, “That’s because we’re going in the opposite direction of Jerusalem.”
This story comes from the Talmud. Even though the traveler had gotten farther from his destination, he couldn’t blame the driver. It was his own fault for getting on the wagon without first asking which way it was headed.