In the following days, everything changed for the village of Horki. The Rebbe’s gabbai discovered vast amounts of gold stored in the poritz’s mansion, along with records of all of the money he had taken from each person. The Rebbe immediately ordered that the money be returned to everyone, and the village soon became very prosperous.
Aharon the fish man bought new nets and was now able to catch bigger and tastier fish. Berel the innkeeper upgraded his inn to be the fanciest hotel in the region. Anshel the carpenter began producing the finest oak and mahogany furniture. Everyone was able to properly mechabed (honor) Shabbat with beautiful and delicious seudot (meals). Every morning the Horki Chassidim thanked Hashem anew for their miraculous good fortune.
One day, Berel the innkeeper was rolling a barrel of fine whiskey towards his inn, when he noticed the Rebbe walking by. Ah! A chance to be mechabed his Rebbe! Berel quickly abandoned his barrel in the middle of the street and ran over.
“Shalom Aleichem Rebbe,” he said, bowing humbly.
To his surprise, the Rebbe looked at him angrily. “I never thought you were the type of person to be a Rotzeiach (murderer),” the Rebbe said sternly.
“A murderer???” Berel stammered. “But Rebbe, I never killed anyone! I’m a kind and gentle person!”
“Berel,” the Rebbe said. “Do you know how dangerous it is to leave a barrel in the middle of the road like that? It can roll down and someone can get seriously hurt!”
“Oy, I’m sorry, Rebbe,” Berel said. “It was an accident. But I’m not a rotzeiach - I promise!” “Berel, in Parshat Shoftim we talk about someone who kills someone beshogeg - by accident, and his punishment is that he is sent to an Ir Miklat (city of refuge) - he essentially becomes a prisoner for not being careful.”
“But Rebbe, nobody died. Look, I’ll move the barrel right now!”
Berel quickly rolled the barrel to the grass on the side of the road and ran back to the Rebbe.
“Berel,” the Rebbe continued. “The Rambam has a whole section where he discusses protecting oneself and others from danger. And do you know what section that is? It’s ‘Hilchat Rotzeiach U’Shmirat Hanefesh’. He puts the halachot (Torah laws) of someone who kills on purpose, someone who kills accidentally, and someone who puts others in danger, all under the same section: ‘Rotzeiach U’Shmirat Hanefesh’.
“Do you understand? Putting someone else in danger is like murdering someone. Even if nobody gets hurt or killed, it is the same action. Being careful not to leave something where someone could get injured is just as serious as not going out and killing people.”
“Oy, I never realized that,” lamented Berel. “Thank you so much, Rebbe, for teaching this to me. I will bli neder (without promising) never do something like this ever again.:”
Reprinted from an email of KabbalaOnline.org.
