Yosef tells his ten brothers, “I want to see this younger brother that you say you have.” He sends them back to Canaan with food, but holds Shimon as a hostage. He also returns the money that they had paid for their food. They notice the returned money when they are already on the road back to Canaan.
“They trembled greatly, and each said to one another, ‘What is this that Elokim has done to us?'” (Bereishis 28:28).
Why did they tremble? The sefer Darash Mordechai suggests that they trembled because this was not their money. Possessing money that they did not come by honestly sent fear into their hearts. They did not look at this as a bonanza. They were so upset to have ill-gotten gains in their possession that it caused them to tremble.
The Darash Mordechai cites an interesting story illustrating how throughout the generations Gedolei Yisrael were so particular to not take anything that did not belong to them:
Rav Aharon Kotler, zt”l, besides all that he did for Yeshivos and so forth, was the driving force in the early years behind Chinuch Atzmai. He went to meetings and spoke on behalf of Chinuch Atzmai. In appreciation, Chinuch Atzmai, bought Rav Aharon Kotler a new kapata, so that he should have a presentable kapata that befitted his station when he went to these fundraising affairs.
In fact, Rav Aharon Kotler also needed a new kapata because he was busy raising money for Lakewood, and he was not about to spend money on himself for a new kapata!
Rav Aharon went to a parlor meeting on behalf of Chinuch Atzmai with a driver named Rav Yitzchak Zalasnik. Rav Aharon finished the parlor meeting and said, “Now we need to go to a chasanah.” Rav Aharon told Rav Yitzchak Zalasnik, “Take me home. I need to change.” His driver could not understand why the Rosh Yeshiva needed to change: “Why can’t we go straight to the chasanah?” Rav Aharon explained, “Chinuch Atmai bought me that kapata for the purposes of of Chinuch Atzmai. I can’t use it for my own purposes.” He therefore wanted to go home, put away the brand new Chinuch Atzmai frock, and put on his own.
The Darash Mordechai asks a question on this story: Rav Aharon Kotler is a Gaon Olam. He could say sevarahs that could split hairs. Could he not have figured out a justification whereby he could assume that Chinuch Atzmai gave him the kapata lock stock and barrel—not just for their purposes? Why didn’t he think like that? He was a smart enough man. Couldn’t he have figured that out?
The answer is that his zehirus [meticulousness] regarding handling other people’s money was such that he could not even figure out that this would be an acceptable use of this gift. He was a Gaon Olam, but regarding using charity funds, he was a tamim. He had such an innocence and such a purity that he could not contemplate any justification for using the frock for a personal event. This too is why the brothers trembled when they found money in their sacks, thinking that it was not really their money.
There is a parenthetical story that makes mention of Rav Aharon Kotler’s frayed kapata: During World War II, while Italy was occupied by the Nazis, there was a group of Yeshiva bochurim who were held in prison there. This was literally a situation of pikuach nefoshos. Askanim who were trying to find a way to smuggle them out of Italy consulted with people in the know, and were told that the only way to handle this was through the Mafia. The Mafia had connections in Italy that could accomplish things that others could not.
Rav Moshe Sherer of Agudas Yisrael went with Rav Aharon Kotler to speak to Joe Bonanno, head of one of the big crime families in New York. Rav Aharon asked this Mafia Chief to do something on behalf of these imprisoned Yeshiva bochurim. When Joe Bonanno saw Rav Aharon Kotler, he was a bit turned off because the sleeves on Rav Aharon’s kapato were frayed. Joe Bonanno was wearing an Italian suit, which in those days probably cost $100, which was a lot of money! He saw this “head Rabbi of America” walking around with a torn frock, and he was not at all impressed.
To make a long story short, he asked Rav Aharon for a berachah. Rav Aharon gave him a berachah. What kind of berachah do you give to such a murderer/gangster? Rav Aharon gave him a berachah that he should die a peaceful death in his own bed. And that is what happened. He was never gunned down.
There is a sequel to this story. Some twenty years later, a stretch limo pulled up to the Lakewood Yeshiva. They were looking for Rabbi Kotler. Rav Aharon Kotler was no longer alive. But they came to the Yeshiva and said they wanted to see Rabbi Kotler. They took them into Rav Shneur Kotler. It was the son of Joe Bonanno. He wanted the same berachah that his father was given. Rav Shneur told them “That is a blessing that only my father could give. I am not able to give such a blessing.” (R’ Frand)
