Once, Reb Zalman Aharon, the brother of the 5th Lubavitcher Rebbe, mentored a young man, attempting to convince him to cease fasting. He told him the following allegory:[1]
In a certain town they instituted a general tax on all the residents for the purpose of constructing a communal bath-house. The indigents, who had no money, brought various household wares instead of cash.
Seeing this, an individual remarked to the head of the council: “By making the poor pay the tax you only receive worthless items. Instead, you should free them from the tax and raise the tax on the rich.”
He explained his allegory:
The body is like a small city and each of its limbs is a resident. The eyes, ears and mouth are the rich citizens, while the stomach and kidney are poor. Instead of obsessing of getting a “tax” from the poor limbs, when from the “rich” ones, much more is accomplished?!
[1] Shmu-ot VeSippurim, Vol. 1 Pg. 271
