The Best Policy
By Rabbi Daniel Travis
…Perhaps it was an oversight on their part. (Bereshith 43:12)
When Yaakov saw that the money his sons had paid for food in Egypt was in
their packs, he felt it might have been left there accidentally by the
Egyptian workers. Although he knew his sons had not stolen the money, and
technically he was not obligated to return it, Yaakov insisted that they
do so, for it did not belong to him.1
Therefore he instructed them to carry the money in their hands, in order
to publicize their honesty, and sanctify God’s name through their
action.2
Shimon ben Shetach once purchased a donkey. The original owner had
neglected to check the saddlebag before he made the sale, and
inadvertently left diamonds in the bag. When they discovered the treasure,
Shimon ben Shetach’s students were exuberant, for now, they were certain,
their teacher would be able to teach Torah without the constant financial
worries that had been plaguing him. Shimon ben Shetach did not join in
their excitement though. “Do you think I am a barbarian?” he exclaimed “I
bought a donkey, not diamonds!” He promptly returned the diamonds. When
the owner received them he cried out, “Blessed is the God of Shimon ben
Shetach!”3
A number of years ago, Rav Moshe Meiselman, one of Jerusalem’s prominent
Roshei Yeshivah, visited his doctor for a routine checkup that cost sixty
dollars. At the time, sixty dollars was the equivalent of 60,000 Israeli
shekels. Because of a bookkeeping error, the insurance company reimbursed
him with 60,000 dollars instead of the sixty dollars they owed him.
Without a second thought, Rav Meiselman sent the money back to the
insurance company. As far as he was concerned, there is no doubt that one
cannot benefit from someone else’s money.
Technically, in both of the above examples it would have been permissible
to keep the money.4 Yet great halachic
figures testify that many people they have seen who kept money acquired in
such a manner later suffered financial ruin. On the other hand, those who
returned money that fell into their hands because of an oversight not only
sanctified God’s name in a glorious fashion, but later prospered greatly
through other means.5
Footnotes:
1 Rashi on Bereshith 43:12.
2 Brisker Rav.
3 Yerushalmi Bava Metzia 2:5.
4 Rema, Choshen Mishpat 348:5.
5 As described by the Be’er HaGolah in his commentary on
Choshen Mishpat 348:5, and the Sefer Chasidim (1074).
Text Copyright © 2008 by Rabbi Daniel Travis and Torah.org
