By R’ Yoni Schwartz
An old woman once approached a grandchild of Rav Avrohom Shaag, z”tl, in Yerushalayim asking where she could find his burial site. Curious, the grandchild asked the woman why she came to visit it and she told the following story.
Years ago, an enormous sum of money was entrusted to Rav Shaag to watch over. However, he was so engulfed in his learning, he put the money in his safe and forgot about it. Later, he searched for the money unsuccessfully. He employed a maid and since there was nobody else who could have taken it, he had figured it had to be her. He felt bad, though, and thought, “How can I accuse her of stealing? That would ruin her life!”
Instead, when the person returned to receive the money back which he entrusted to the Rav, the Rav asked for a few more days. Rav Shaag borrowed a massive amount of money to repay him and spent years paying back the loan. One Pesach, as he was cleaning out his seforim, he found the money.
Although this was years later, the Rav quickly called the maid. He was distraught and broken over the fact that he even suspected her of taking the money and begged her from the bottom of his heart for forgiveness.
The maid was astonished and said, “You borrowed so much money and spent years paying it back just to avoid embarrassing me and you’re asking me for forgiveness?” Although she insisted that the Rav did not need her forgiveness, he persisted and she agreed.
However, being older and childless, the former maid asked the Rav to promise her she’ll have a child and the Rav obliged with a blessing. Fast forward years to the present: the woman in Yerushalayim told Rav Shaag’s grandchild, “I am her daughter.”
Reprinted from the Parshas Kedoshim 5784 email of Torah Sweets.
