Rabbi Shloime Tauber shared a remarkable story about his father, Rabbi Yisrael Tauber, a beloved maggid shiur in Monsey, New York, who inspired thousands through his teachings and writings.
In his younger years, Rabbi Tauber invested in real estate and purchased a three-story office building that provided a steady source of income. One day, an Italian non-Jewish neighbor approached him with an offer far above the market value. It was a golden opportunity. The deal was signed, and closing was set for three months later.
But a few weeks before closing, disaster struck. Tenants on the ground floor called frantically; the building was flooded with two feet of water. An engineer discovered the cause: a natural spring ran beneath the property, rising every few years and flooding the lower level. It was a recurring, costly problem.
Now, Rabbi Tauber faced a serious moral dilemma. Should he disclose the issue and risk losing the sale or stay silent and walk away with a large profit?
He didn’t turn to a lawyer — he turned to a dayan.
“What is the halachah?“ he asked. “Do I have to tell him? What does Hashem want me to do?“
The dayan replied, “According to halachah, you must tell him. Deceiving a non-Jew is also forbidden, gezel akum assur.“
So Rabbi Tauber called his lawyer and arranged a meeting with the buyer. Sitting across the table, he said calmly, “We are Jews, and we must do what’s right. There’s a recurring flooding issue beneath the building. If you’d like, I’ll return your deposit and cancel the deal, but the choice is yours.“
The buyer stormed out to consult his lawyer. When he returned, he said sharply, “I still want the building. You’re not pushing me out.“
Rabbi Tauber smiled gently. “The decision is entirely yours.“
He had his lawyer draft a statement confirming that the buyer had been fully informed, and the sale went through.
A year later, the buyer called requesting a meeting. “Mr. Tauber,“ he said, “I owe you an apology, to you and to the Jewish people. I didn’t believe you. I thought you were trying to back out for more money. But last week, the tenants called; the ground floor flooded again. You were completely honest. I can’t believe there are people so truthful and decent.“
He then handed Rabbi Tauber an expensive bottle of kosher wine in gratitude.
