By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
Orphaned at a young age, Moshe Leib Erblich (1745–1807) worked to support himself, yet he looked forward to the day when he could dedicate himself to his Torah studies. His hopes were realized when his mother inherited a large sum of money.
He traveled to a yeshiva in Mikulov (located today in the Czech Republic), known to the Jewish locals as Nikolsburg. There he befriended the city’s chief rabbi, Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke (1726-1778).
One day, the rabbi’s wife was outside ritually washing her hands, when she removed her ring. A local thief, watching this unfold, stole her ring and darted off.
When her husband heard the screaming, he told Moshe Leib, “Quickly, chase the thief and tell him that the ring is his, but he should know that it is worth 100 korunas and nothing less!”
The young boy pursued the thief and delivered the message. Expecting a beating, the thief was shocked by Moshe Leib’s compassionate message and decided to return the ring.
But Moshe Leib insisted, “The rabbi gave it to you as a gift with all of his heart.”
Confused, the thief said, “If the rabbi is such a person, I certainly do not want any of his property.”
“If you want to do something positive, purchase jewelry for an orphaned bride,” Moshe Leib replied.
The thief listened to his words and decided to change his life around by earning an honest living and providing for the needy.
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