Within a few moments the cover began to slip and soon, unnoticed by Yisrael, it was on the floor. The tax collector ordered Yisrael to show him another piece of furniture. As he began to cross the room, followed by the two men, his foot caught hold of the crumpled cover on the floor, and he stepped on the cloth.
"Aha!" cried the policeman gleefully. "See how this Jew treats they symbol of his country!" Despite his pleas and explanations, despite his pointing out that he used the cloth decorated with the Polish national symbol to cover his most prized possession, charges were drawn up and he was summoned to court.
A day was set for the trial, and a magistrate appointed. To Weiner's dismay, the judge was a notorious anti-Semite, and he knew that the probability of a severe sentence was high.
Asked the Bobover Rebbe for a Blessing
On the eve of the trial, the nervous and depressed defendant went to the Bobover Rebbe, Rabbi Bentzion Halberstam, for a blessing. Weeping profusely, he told the Rebbe his woeful story.
The Rebbe gave his blessing, expressing his hope and belief that Hashem would help the desperate man, and then added some very strange instructions.
"Tomorrow, when you go to court," the Rebbe said, "take with you a matchbox containing only one match. Then, when you notice a member of the court taking out a cigar or a cigarette during the proceedings, as someone inevitable will, you step forward and offer him your matchbox."
Weiner was puzzled until the Rebbe explained the rest of the plan, and advised him to inform his lawyer about it. "You have nothing to lose, and much to gain," said the Rebbe.
The next day at court, as expected, the public prosecutor released his venom on the trembling Jew. "Would you dare tread upon your Holy Scroll?" he challenged, his voice full of thunder. "For such a disrespectful act against his country, this man deserves the maximum sentence under the law!"
The Jew Offers the Judge His Matchbox
As the prosecutor continue to rant, the judge becoming excited at the prospect of giving out a harsh punishment to this helpless Jew, began to fumble in his pocket for a cigarette. Yisrael, alert to such a move as he had been instructed, quickly stepped forward and offered his matchbox, containing only one match, to the judge. Absent-mindedly, the judge accepted the matchbox, lit his cigarette and tossed the empty matchbox into the waste basket.
However, in those days all matches were distributed solely by the Polish government, so every matchbox bore the emblem of the Polish national eagle. The defense lawyer, who had been waiting for this moment, jumped out of his seat. "Your honor," he cried, "I must bring a very urgent matter to your attention!"
All eyes were on him. How dare he interrupt the proceeding with such an outburst? In a ringing voice, the lawyer for the defense continued his bid for attention. "The honor of our national symbol, the Polish white eagle, has been insulted in this very room, only a moment ago!" he boomed.
“Look Into the Waste Basket!”
As everyone stared at him in astonishment, he continued. "Look into the waste basket! You will see the image of the Polish white eagle imprinted on a matchbox, amidst the refuse. The honor of our beloved country is at stake! And it is His Honor, the magistrate himself, who is guilty of this violation!"
Stifled laughter was heard from the back of the courtroom, and then the laughter became louder and the audience began to applaud. The defendant then sprang up, wringing his hands, and cried out, "Your Honor, I am the father of small children! Please have mercy on me! I am a devout patriot; I cover my most cherished possession with our beloved national symbol. My stepping on the while eagle emblem that was on my sewing machine cover was no more an act of disrespect than was your casting an empty matchbox into the garbage!"
The room was silent for a moment, the judge shifted in his seat. "Case dismissed!" he said.
Reprinted from the Parshas Matos-Masei 5784 email of Inspired by a Story by Rabbi Dovid Caro.
