The shamash from Chelm goes to visit Minsk and learn from the wise scholars there. He asks the first scholar he meets to share a bit of wisdom with him, and the scholar agrees. He offers a riddle: “He is my father’s son, but he is not my brother. Who is he?”
The shamash sits down to think this over. After pondering for many hours he admits that he is stumped.
The scholar then triumphantly says, “Why, it is ME”!
The shamash thanks the scholar profusely, and returns to his village armed with this clever riddle. When he arrives home, he gathers all the people and tells them that he has learned wisdom in Minsk and he would like to share it with them. Excitedly, he tells the riddle: “He is my father’s son, but he is not my brother. Who is he?”
The people think and think, but not one can come up with the answer. They beg the shamash to tell them the answer, and finally he agrees. “Why, it is the scholar from Minsk!”