B"H

Tuesday, Nissan 10, 5785 / April 8, 2025

A Passover story

Rabbi Yechezkel Landau (1713-1794) was the chief Rabbi of Prague. At the time, a Melamed (Hebrew teacher) lived in Prague who had a daughter to marry off. Unfortunately, the Melamed didn't earn enough to afford the wedding expenses and dowry for his daughter. So, with his wife's blessings, he went to seek his fortune in another city. There, a wealthy man hired the Melamed to teach his children. Three years he saved every penny, until finally he had enough money for the wedding.  

To save the travel expenses back to Prague, the Melamed found a wine merchant who was transporting a large shipment of wine to Prague for Passover. In exchange for a ride back to Prague the Melamed offered to act as Mashgiach (Kashrut supervisor) for the wine so that the merchant will obtain, from the Rabbi of Prague, the “Kosher for Passover” certificate. The wine merchant agreed. The merchant along with the Melamed, acting as Mashgiach for the wine, left for Prague.

When Friday came, they stopped off at an inn to spend Shabbat. Now the Melamed had a problem, "I don’t know anyone here. Where will I hide my money over Shabbat?" he thought. He decided to hide the money between the barrels of wine.    

As soon as Shabbat was over he went out to the wagon to retrieve his money. “Oy Vay!” the Melamed screamed, when he realized that the money was gone!   The Melamed was devastated.

Rethinking his terrible situation, the Melamed realized that the only one who might have seen him hide the money was the wine merchant.  He approached the merchant and said, "I left my wallet containing all my savings between the wine barrels before Shabbat.  When I went to retrieve it all the money was gone!  Did you perhaps take it?"

"How dare you accuse me of stealing.  It was silly of you to hide your money there in the first place!" the wine merchant roared. Realizing that arguing with the merchant will accomplish nothing, the Melamed let the matter rest till he arrived in Prague.  As soon as he came to Prague, the Melamed ran to Rabbi Yecheskel Landau and cried to him how all his savings of three years were gone, and as a result his daughter's wedding will not occur!”

Shortly afterwards, the wine merchant came to Rabbi Yecheskel Landau. He said, "Rabbi, this year’s wine is especially Kosher. It has been supervised by one of your former students. I would like to get your Kosher for Passover certificate.”

"This year I cannot give you the certificate," replied Rabbi Landau to the wine merchant.  "The Melamed was here before and told me that the money which he hid between the wine barrels before Shabbat, was stolen!" "Rabbi, are you suspecting me of being a thief?" the merchant protested.  

"Of course not!” answered Rabbi Landau. "But that is the problem!  If you didn't take the money, then obviously there must have been someone else snooping around the wine barrels without any supervision. In that case, I cannot be sure that the wine is still Kosher!" The merchant turned pale.  He had invested everything in this wine business and without the Rabbi's certification he would be ruined. "Rabbi," the merchant said embarrassingly, "I confess, I took the money! I will return the money at once."

"The matter is not so simple," answered Rabbi Landau. "How can I be sure that no one else had access to the wine?  Maybe you are saying this so that you shouldn't lose the business!" The merchant begged the rabbi to believe him.  "I will do anything you say to repent!" 

"In that case," Rabbi Landau told him, "I will give you the certificate only on the condition that, in addition to paying back the Melamed what you stole from him, you will also make him a partner and share the profits of this year’s wine with him. This way, you will compensate him for all the aggravation you caused him!"

The merchant had no choice and agreed. Rabbi Landau then called the Melamed from the next room and gave him the good news. The Melamed not only received his lost money but also did very well as a partner with the wine merchant.

As the saying goes, “Where there is Torah there is wisdom.”

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW