Rabbi Yehuda Lowy zt"l
Maharal of Prague
Author: Gur Arye, Nesivos Olam, 18 Ellul 5368
The Maharal of Prague occasionally discussed with the King Jewish views on a variety of subjects. Once they spoke about the meaning of the verse, “Raglei Chasidav Yishmor,” “He guards the feet of His pious ones (Shmuel 1 2:9). The Maharal explained that Hashem protects those who fear Him and observe Torah and Mitzvos from committing a sin even inadvertently. The King, who heard this idea for the first time, was not ready to accept it. However, realizing that he would not be able to convince the Rabbi to change his mind, he changed the subject of their talk.
Towards the end of the conversation, the King invited the Rabbi to a festive dinner which was soon to be held in his, the King’s honor. The Maharal respectfully asked the King to be excused from attending because of problems of Kashrus.
“I have thought about this. You don’t need to worry,” the King replied. “One of my cooks will provide you with the menu of the meal and your people will prepare your portion at your home and bring it to the dinner. I will also send you the vessels in which your portion will be served, so that you may cleanse them ritually.
The Maharal's food was indeed prepared at this home by his own family and he was able to attend the festive dinner.
When the meal started, the Maharal left his seat at the table for a few moments to wash his hands and ate a piece of bread which his servant, handed him. A short time later, when he was about to partake of the food which he had brought from his home, he remembered that when he had left the table for a few moments his food, which had been placed in front of him on the table had remained “unattended.” It had become what Chazal call “Bassar Shenisalem Min Ha'ayin,” which one is not permitted to eat because of the possibility that another food might have been substituted while it was not “watched’ by a Jew. Someone might have replaced it with a portion that was not Kosher.
The Maharal was in a dilemma. If he did not eat the food, the King would certainly be angry. He searched for some Halachic permit, but didn’t find one that fully satisfied him. He didn’t touch the food. The King noticed it and from time to time urged the Rabbi to eat. Finally the King told the Rabbi, “I have done so much to enable you to come here, but you don’t seem to appreciate it.”
The Rabbi explained why he wasn’t eating. “I don’t suspect anybody here of having exchanged my food, but our sages have taught us that even in such circumstances one mustn't eat food which has not been ‘watched,'” the Rabbi said.
“You don’t have to be afraid that someone exchanged your food!” the King exclaimed. “I have been sitting at the table all the time; nobody touched your food.”
“I don’t doubt your words, my King, but according to our laws I cannot partake of the food,” the Rabbi replied.
The King rose from his seat. The Maharal was sure that the King was angry and would order his arrest but the King went over to the Maharal and embraced him.
“You certainly remember our discussion about the verse, “He guards the feet of His pious ones” which you explained to mean that G-d protects those who keep His laws from committing a sin, even inadvertently, the King said to the Rabbi.
“I didn’t agree with you and I invited you to this dinner to prove you wrong, to show you that even a man who strictly observes the commandments of the G-d may, on occasion, commit a sin. While you went to wash your hands, I asked my servants to exchange the food you brought with you and substitute a portion which was cooked with non-kosher animal’s fat, but you didn’t stumble. By your commitment you have demonstrated that your G-d, indeed protects you from doing things which you shouldn’t do. You have been proven right.”
