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Rav Pam and his youngest son, Asher, were on their way to Yeshivah on a -frigid Sunday morning. They were running late and the walk to- the subway would take about fifteen minutes. When a lone -taxi came down the street, Rav Pam flagged it down and gave the subway station as their destination. They soon” realized that the meter was not running. When Rav Pam asked the driver-about this, he replied, “Rabbi, I’m driving around for an hour looking for business. I can’t afford to start the meter and report this trip!” . “Please,” Rav Pam pleaded, “start the meter. I cannot travel with you if you don’t.” The driver, however, refused to cooperate. ” “If you don’t turn on the meter,” Rav Pam said, “I will have to leave the taxi.” “You can’t do that, Rabbi,” the driver countered, ”it’s freezing outside.” And he continued to drive with the meter off. At the next corner, Rav Pam said, “Please stop; I’m getting off here.” He paid what would have been the full fare to the subway station, added a tip, and alighted from the cab along with his son. As they walked to the subway, Asher asked his father why he had paid the man so much. “To make sure that he would not feel we wronged him,” Rav Pam replied. (theft, kidush Hashem) (Rav Pam)
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Reb Aharon’s son, Reb Shneur, who succeeded his father as rosh yeshivah, carried on the family tradition of impeccable honesty. Once a California millionaire with no relatives signed a check to the Lakewood Yeshivah after Reb Shneur had visited him and encouraged him to increase his yearly donation of one hundred dollars. The very same day, the rosh yeshivah received a call from the tycoon’s aide, informing him that the benefactor had passed away before he could fill in the amount on the check. “Rabbi,” the aide asked, “tell me how large a check you’d like. There are millions of dollars sitting in the bank and no heirs to collect them. It’s either Sacramento or Lakewood.” Reluctant to take more money than the do- nor might have intended to give, Reb Shneur promptly responded, ”One hundred dollars, like every year.” (Builders)
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Shmuel Yehuda Lefkowitz was a nineteen-year-old student at Yeshivas Ner Yisrael in Baltimore who also attended University of Baltimore Law School in the evening. As he drove to college late one afternoon. he circled the area several times before finding a parking spot several blocks away from the law school. Walking briskly through the neighboring streets of downtown Baltimore to get to his class on time, Shmuel Yehuda noticed the sun was beginning to set, signaling that time was running out for him to daven Minchah. He searched for a secluded area where he would be able to daven undisturbed. This was no easy task, since downtown Baltimore is a crowded and busy district full of professionals and tourists, as well as homeless people. As the sky began to darken, Shmuel Yehuda was elated to discover a vacant building. After surveying it hastily for possible vagrants, Shmuel Yehuda de- cided that it looked like a safe refuge where he could daven. He found himself a quiet corner, closed his eyes, put his feet to- 3-ether. and began davening the Shemoneh Esrei. After a few -moments, he sensed a presence looming behind him. Shmuel Yehuda did not flinch. He stood, immersed in prayer, concen- rating on the meaning of each and every word. Suddenly, Shmuel Yehuda felt the stranger’s hand groping around in his back pocket and then extracting his wallet. The stranger turned and fled from the deserted building. Unfazed and deep in prayer, Shmuel Yehuda calmly completed the Shemoneh Esrei. The moment he finished davening, Shmuel Yehuda took off at high speed chasing the pickpocket. A strong and muscular young man. Shmuel Yehuda was also fearless. He spotted a vagrant running out of the building. quickly caught up to him. and forcefully tackled him to the ground. Without hesitation, he skillfully retrieved his stolen wallet from the man’s hands. As Shmuel Yehuda began to walk away, he turned to take one quick glance at the man before him. As he looked into the vagrant’s face, Shmuel Yehuda’s anger disappeared and was replaced with pity. The man lying before him was poor, hungry, and crushed. ln Shmuel Yehuda’s eyes, there was only one thing left to do. He put his hand into his wallet, removed all the money it contained, and handed it to his attacker. Hurriedly, he contin- ued on to college, leaving the pickpocket with a stunned look of disbelief on his face. Shmuel Yehuda’s parents repeat this story with pride. Their son’s compassion for a homeless person, even someone who robbed him. overrode all his other emotions. All that remained was his desire to help a downtrodden individual. (For Goodness’ Sake) (rob)
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In the early 1960’s, Rav Mendel Kaplan. zt”I. was a Rebbi in Beis Medrash llTorah in Chicago. Because Rav Mendel preferred that his children grow up in a larger Jewish commu- nity, his wife and family lived in New York City while he stayed in Chicago. Every other Thursday night. Rav Mendel would drive the hundreds of miles to New York to spend Shabbos with his family. Then he would drive back to Chicago on Sunday. Times were much safer in the sixties. and Rav Mendel did not hesitate to pick up hitchhikers who stood on the side of the road when he traveled back and forth from Chicago to New York. Rav Mendel radiated kindness and warmth and spoke with each hitchhiker as though he were an old friend. On one memorable trip, Rav Mendel stopped to pick up a hitchhiker along the way. This particular passenger seemed like a rough individual, but before long the two men were conversing comfortably. As was his custom, Rav Mendel stopped at a rest stop for a drink and bought one for the hitchhiker. After several hours. they arrived in New York. As the hitch- hiker was about to get out of the car, he turned to Rav Mendel and said, “I want you to know that l had no intention of going anywhere when l hitched a ride with you. l spend my days flagging down drivers, and when I am about to get out of the car. I take out my gun and rob them. When I got a ride with you today, I had every intention of robbing you, too. But you were so kind to me that l just couldn’t do it.” And with that, he quickly got out of the car and walked away. Rav Mendel was speechless. He had spent hours with a dangerous man who could have killed him. However. with his genuine sense of concern and true kindness, Rav Mendel had warmed even this man‘s cold heart. (For Goodness’ Sake) (robbery)
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Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky was seen walking into a silver shop with a Kiddush cup. “The yeshivah gave me a solid silver becher as a gift,” he explained. ”I want to have it assessed so that I can know its true value and report it on my income taxes.” (gezel, emes)
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One of the thieves imprisoned among the criminals in their own ward in Jerusalem served out his sentence and was set free toward evening. Since he lived far from Jerusalem and had no money whatever in his pocket, he went off to find Reb Aryeh, whom he knew from the pious rabbi’s visits to the prison, to try to get some pocket-money from him. Reb Aryeh and his good wile welcomed the man like a distinguished guest. They gave him some money, and then added that they would not let him ride home before he sat down to a good meal. The “guest” accepted, and soon felt relaxed and happy. The meal Over, Reb Aryeh remarked, “I am grateful to you for visiting us. Thanks to you I hid the unexpected opportunity to fulfill two mitzvos (religious good deeds): offering hospitality and helping someone in need. But do me one more favor. It is late. Why trouble yourself to go traveling in the dark? Be our guest a bit longer and stay the night with us.” They prepared a bed for him, and eventually bid him good night. Before dawn Reb Aryeh rose as usual, to prepare to go to the synagogue for morning prayers at sunrise. As he moved about, it soon became painfully clear to him that his “dear guest” had stolen his wine cup (that he used for Kiddush on the Sabbath) and the silver Sabbath candlesticks, and vanished into the night. Reb Aryeh woke his good wife and told her what had happened. “Well,” he added, “I forgive that poor thief completely. Let Heaven not punish him on my account.” Then he said as an afterthought, “But let us promise each other and really resolve in our heart that this little incident will not mean anything for us in the future, and it will not prevent us from inviting other thieves into our home!” (steal, hachnasas orchim) (A Tzadik in Our Times)
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A talmid’s parents sent airline tickets for Rav and Rebbetzin Gifter so they could attend the talmid’s wedding in New York. Soon after the wedding. The talmid’s parents received a check in the mail for exactly half of the ticket. The rosh hayeshivah explained that while he was in New York, he had attended to something for the sake of the yeshiva. It was therefore only proper that the yeshivah share in the cost of the ticket. (Rav Gifter) (gnaivah)
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Every year before Rosh Hashanah, Rav Gifter would give a check to the Yeshivah to pay for any food he may have eaten from the yeshivah kitchen that he was not entitled to. (Rav Gifter) (gneivah)
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Rav Ovadia’s brother Na’im related that on one winter morning, Ovadia rose extremely early to go learn, and he couldn’t find his shoes. Concerned that his search might awaken other members of the family, Ovadia slipped on several pairs of socks and walked out into the Yerushalayim morning chill. (Rav Ovadia) (gezel)
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Reb Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman never personally benefited from the yeshivah’s assets. Once, while on a fundraising mission in Konigsberg, he wrote to his wife on yeshivah stationery and apologized that he could only relate “yeshivah business” so as not to be moiel b’kodesh — to benefit from consecrated charitable funds. He was in Memel when a friend informed him that he would be traveling to Eretz Yisrael and would be delighted tp deliver something to the Rav’s mother, who lived in Tel Aviv. Reb Yosef Shlomo wgs eager to take advantage of the offer, but first asked if he could borrow a pen in order to write a letter. The pen in his pocket, he explained, belonged to the yeshivah, and thus could not be used for any personal business. (Builders)
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I (Rav Binyamin Gringras) used to bring groups of bachurim to Rav Velvel Eisenbach. They connected to his unassuming manner and were enthralled by his diligent approach to life and the fact that he was so, so busy with learning at an age when the vast majority of people want nothing more than to sit back, read the paper, and drink a cup of coffee. On one such visit, while climbing the steep staircase to-*Rav Velvel’s austere apartment in Batei Ungarin with a group of American kids, we passed his neighbor, a Yerushalmi woman. She took one look at the exuberant group and apparently was disturbed because she knew Rav Velvel had nothing in his pantry to offer his visitors. American tourists were arriving at his home, and one was supposed to put out some refreshments — and there would , be nothing to serve. The neighbor ran home to put together a”? plate of refreshments. She did it rapidly and made her way a few minutes later to Rav Velvel’s home. – Of course, Rav Velvel couldn’t refuse her offering (just try and refuse a Yerushalmi mama), and no doubt a part of him was relieved at being able to offer the simple plate of cut up fruit to his guests: apples, dates, and nuts assembled with efficiency and good taste. Rav Velvel commanded his guests, “make a berachah on _the fruits of Eretz Yisraell” The group were quick to follow his command, the platter of fruit were mostly demolished within mere seconds of being passed around Every0ne made loud berachos and everyone answered “amen,” and Rav‘Velvel was happy. When it was time to leave, the plate was empty save for a few pieces of fruit. As we made our collective way down the staircase of Batei Ungarin, my eye was drawn to the sight of a diminutive figure leaving his home, holding a plate on which rested two lonely pieces of apple, the remains of his neighbors chesed. It was Rav Velvel on his way to return the plate. Though most people would have assumed that the woman meant for all the fruit to be eaten and would have no doubt consumed the remaining pieces them- selves, Rav Velvel wasted no time in returning the apples, They were not his; they had been presented to him for a specific purpose, and now they had to be returned. _ ” The memory of the nearly 100-year-old wizened tzaddik, plate in hand, will remain with me for the rest of my life. If I could paint the scene on a canvas, I would title it “Yerushalmi tzaddik and fruit.” (Inside Their Homes) (gezel)
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A Jew who steals something that is worth at least a perutah has violated the Torah prohibition of You shall not steal.” Accord- ing to Rabbeinu, if someone steals something worth one hundred perutahs, he has violated the Torah commandment one hundred times, despite having done only one act of theft! (theft) (Reb Baruch Ber by Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Rosenthal)
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During the beginning of Rav Baruch Ber’s stay in Kremenchung, due to famine, the Communists distributed food to everyone who lived in the city. The order of priority was as follows: the maid who worked in Rabbeinu’s house received the best food. Children and elderly people received lower quality food and Rabbeinu received the lowest quality food of all. Although the kashrus of the food was beyond reproach, Rabbeinu was afraid to eat of it for two reasons. The Rebbi had said that Lenin, yirmzch shemo, was “a velt ganif a world-class thief. Thus, the food distributed by the Communists was stolen. Secondly, and worse yet, Rabbeinu was afraid that if he benefited from the Communists, it might, chas v‘shalom, influence his feelings towards them.” (theft) (Reb Baruch Ber by Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Rosenthal)
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Rav Aharon Kotler was the driving force behind the vaad hatzala. One evening after a meeting with the vaad and almost everyone has left a rabbi noticed that rav Kutler was staying behind. He asked him about it and Rav Kotler explained to him that he doesn’t have 10 cents for the subway. Keep in mind that the rabbi headed the vaad which dealt in millions of dollars. Also in keep mind that it was undoubtedly in the best interest of the vaad for the rosh yeshiva to come to meetings and yes to leave them when over. Anyone could have easily made a good case for granting permission to the rosh yeshiva to take the needed 10 cents from the vaad’s coffers. A good case yes but to the rosh yeshiva the case was not good enough. The end of the story is that the other rabbi lent the rosh yeshiva 20 cents 10 cents for the subway and another 10 cents just in case he took the wrong train (theft) (The living Mishnas Reb Aharon, By Rabbi Yitzchak Dershowitz)
