The great Sage Reish Lakish had once lived among the wild people called Loddites. Known for his bravery and prowess, the Loddites wanted him to be the leader of one baal teshuva and dedicating his tremendous intellect and power to the study of Torah. He married the sister of Rabbi Yochanan, the greatest Sage of the time, and excelled so much at his learning that he was appointed to a high position in the yeshiva at Tiberias.
Although Reish Lakish now spent all his days and nights in the study hall, he had lost none of his courage and would stand up to evil or corruption whenever he encountered it, no matter what danger he had to face.
One morning, as Rabbi Yochanan walked to the Study Hall, he was attacked by a band of robbers. He was very shaken by the incident, and, although he tried to lead the class as usual, he was unable to concentrate on the questions his students posed. It became obvious that the great Sage was troubled by something.
Noticing that his teacher was deeply troubled, Reish Lakish pressed Rabbi Yochanan for an explanation. “What is wrong? Has something happened to you?” Rabbi Yochanan answered by way of a hint, saying, “The whole body depends on the heart, but the heart depends on the pocket.” Reish Lakish didn’t understand his teacher’s allusion, and he repeated his question.
This time Rabbi Yochanan explained clearly, “I can’t gather my thoughts because as I was coming to study today, I was set upon by a band of robbers. I was carrying a great deal of money, and they stole it all. Now I will have to spend my energy trying to support myself and my family, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to learn Torah as I did before.”
Reish Lakish was outraged. “Where did they attack you and which way did they go?” he demanded to know. They went out to the road and Rabbi Yochanan pointed to the location of the attack. Not bothering to bring any weapons, Reish Lakish set out immediately.
He found them in a nearby forest and he shouted in a booming voice, “Stop where you are!” The robbers were so surprised by his temerity they meekly waited for him to approach. When he reached them, he faced the band and bellowed, “How dare you steal from the greatest Sage of the Jewish people! The entire world is sustained by the holy words he utters, and you, low creatures that you are, have dared to rob him!” The hardened criminals were moved by his words. “We had no idea who he was. We’ll return half the money to him.”
But Resh Lakish had no intention of making a deal. “Absolutely not!” he cried. “You won’t keep even one penny of his money!” And Reish Lakish grabbed his teacher’s purse from their clutches.
In a similar display of bravery, Reish Lakish once rescued another great Jewish Sage. Once, as a group of rabbis was walking down a deserted road, Rabbi Ammi was captured by a roving band of robbers. So ruthless and cruel were these outlaws, that once captured, no one ever escaped from them.
Risking his life, Reish Lakish pursued the robbers, and, using his experience with brigands, he cleverly managed to obtain Rabbi Ammi’s release.
The robber chief, however, demanded to know what kind of reward he would receive for returning Rabbi Ammi. Reish Lakish, who felt the chief deserved nothing better than the end of a rope, replied, “Come with me to our greatest Sage, Rabbi Yochanan, and he will bless you and pray for you.”
This answer pleased the chief, and he and Reish Lakish proceeded to the study hall of Rabbi Yochanan. “We have been promised that the Rabbi will bless us, since we returned your comrade to you. We never meant him any harm, and now we want you to pray for us,” announced the robber chief.
Rabbi Yochanan understood Reish Lakish’s object in bringing the brigand to him. He looked the robber chief in the eye and said, “Since your intentions were so noble, I bless you that you will be repaid in the same way.” True to Rabbi Yochanan’s words, the robber band was attacked in the forest and killed to the last man.
