As retold by Bruce Lowitt

Four rabbis have spent years engaged in theological arguments, and three are always in accord against the fourth.

One day, Herschel Lipschitz, the odd rabbi out with the usual three-to-one "majority rules" against him, decides after a lengthy debate to appeal to a higher authority.

"Oh, God!" he cries, "I know in my heart that I am right and they are wrong! Please show me a sign, so they too will know that I understand Your laws."

It's a beautiful, sunny day, but the instant Rabbi Lipschitz finishes his plea, a storm cloud moves across the sky above the four, rumbles, then dissolves.

"A sign from God! See, I'm right! I knew it!" Rabbi Lipschitz says - but the other three disagree, pointing out that storm clouds often form on hot days.

So he asks again: "Oh, God, I need a bigger sign to show that I am right and they are wrong. So please, God, a bigger sign."

This time four storm clouds appear, rush toward each other to form one big cloud, and a bolt of lightning knocks down a tree ten feet away from the rabbis, then the cloud disappears.

"I told you I was right!" Rabbi Lipschitz says - but the others insist that nothing has happened that can't be explained by natural causes.

A third time Rabbi Lipschitz begins to appeal to God when he is interrupted. The sky turns pitch black, the earth shakes, and a deep, booming voice intones, "HERSCHEL LIPSCHITZ IS RIIIIIIIGHT!"

The sky returns to normal. Rabbi Lipschitz puts his hands on his hips and says, "Well?"

"So?" another rabbi says, "Now it's three-to-two."