Once a month, on the eve of Rosh Chodesh, it was the custom of Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Riminov to send out two supervisors to all the shops in town to see whether the weights and measures being used were correct. One of those sent on a certain occasion was Reb Zvi Hirsch, his faithful attendant and disciple, who was later to succeed his Rebbe.
Checked the Store of a Wealthy Businessman
Arriving with his partner at the store of a certain wealthy businessman, he found an undersized liquid measure. When Reb Zvi Hirsch rebuked him for his carelessness, the shopkeeper answered that it was not used for measuring.
"But there is an explicit law on the subject," said Reb Zvi Hirsch. "Our Sages teach us that a man is forbidden to have an oversized or undersized measure in his house, even if it is used as a pail for garbage."
The storekeeper's retort was brazen! Borrowing a phrase remembered from Nach, from the Book of Shmuel, he asked: "Is Shaul also one of the prophets?! Does our Reb Zvi Hirsch too go about laying down the Law?"
In reaction to this, Reb Zvi Hirsch took the measure in hand and trampled on it. When he returned from his day's rounds and was asked by the Rebbe if everything was in order, Reb Zvi Hirsch concealed that incident, being afraid that the wrath of the Rebbe would be kindled against the arrogant offender.
The Gabbi was to Skip the House of the Offender
But Reb Menachem Mendel got to hear of the story from the man who accompanied him. He immediately instructed his Gabbai to announce that the townsmen should all assemble in the Synagogue to hear a sermon, but though he was to knock with his cane on all the shutters according to custom, he was to ignore the house of that offender.
The shopkeeper heard that the Rebbe was speaking on the subject of weights and measures, and realized that this whole tempest was brought about on his account. He went to the Synagogue of his own accord, and as a sign of contriteness removed his shoes in preparation for begging forgiveness of the Tzaddik. Reb Menachem Mendel promised to forgive him on condition that by way of a fine he undertakes to donate fifty gold coins to charity.
The Rebbe’s Rebuke to the Storekeeper
He also said to the storekeeper, “you say that my Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch doesn’t know to study? Who could say whether the Rosh Yeshivah of your heavenly academy would know to study as well as him?”
But why, then, had the man gotten off with such a light fine? Before the storekeeper had yet come in for his punishment, the people in the synagogue noticed the lips of Rav Tzvi Hirsh whispering. So, they asked him, “What are you saying?” He said that he was praying for the storekeeper, that he should not be punished on his account, and so, already, before the man arrived, the story of the prayers of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch had reached Reb Menachem Mendel, and so he was appeased.
Reprinted from the Parshas Chayei Sarah 5784 email of Inspired by a Story from Rabbi Dovid Caro.
