An extraordinary story and example of halachic adherence unfolded in Bnei Brak on Thursday when a student at the Slabodka Kollel returned a sum of 150,000 shekels in cash to the woman who sold him an apartment.
The Hod Hasharon resident recently sold the apartment, which had been used by her ill brother and returned to her after he passed away, to the haredi student. During renovation work in the apartment, a substantial amount of money was found well hidden in one of the walls.
The discovery raised a complex halachic question: Does the money belong to the brother, who saved it and didn't mention it in the will, or does it belong to the new owner of the apartment according to the Talmudic principle of unknowing forfeiture (Yei’ush shelo mida'at)?
The conundrum was brought to Rabbi Yehuda Silman, who ruled that, according to halacha, the full amount should be returned to the previous owner, who was unaware of the cash's existence. On Thursday, a special ceremony was held at the Rabbi's home, during which the money was returned to the woman, in the presence of the student's peers and relatives.
The woman, who is not religious, was moved to tears by the honesty and pondered aloud: "Why don't they report such good things in the media?"
Rabbi Silman blessed the student that, in the merit of his good deed, he should receive abundant blessings in his home and sons and daughters who follow in the path of Torah and mitzvot.
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