One day a man said to Rabbi Gamaliel: "Where does God live, and what is He?"

Rabbi Gamaliel replied: "I do not know."

Then the man said again: "Is this the wisdom you boast of? You pray to God every day, and you do not know where He is."

Rabbi Gamaliel replied: "You ask me a question about a subject which is a journey of 500 years distant from me. For that is the distance from heaven to earth. I will ask you about something that you have with you day and night, and see if you can tell me where it is."

"What is it?" said the man.

"I mean the soul," said R. Gamaliel, "which God has given you and which you have with you day and night. Tell me where it is and in what part of your body it is."

And the man replied: "I do not know."

Rabbi Gamaliel rebuked him and said: "Shame on you, you frivolous man! I ask you a question about a matter which is near to you and you do not know the answer, and you want me to tell you something that is 500 years journey from me!"