The Slandered Scholar

There was once a prestigious institute for advanced Talmudic studies for Jewish men. A very affluent individual carried the entire financial burden, and also served as dean. Only the elite, those with extraordinary talent, were fortunate enough to attend this study hall where they delved into esoteric texts for hours on end.

One young man, newly married, felt a strong desire to join this seminary, so that he, too, could fill his soul with the sweetness of Torah, and drink from the fountain of knowledge that reverberated within its hallowed walls. His name was Rabbi Chizkiah Medini.

"He's a good man, but a simple one," they saidWhen word of Rabbi Chizkiah's intent to join reached the ears of the seminary members, they rejected the idea. "He's a good man, but a simple one," they said. "Heaven didn't bless him with any special talents or capabilities. He might not be capable of our rigorous schedule. His questions may hamper our growth."

Undaunted, the young man headed to the home of the dean. As the two quickly became engaged in discussion, the dean was favorably impressed with Rabbi Chizkiah. He immediately went to work persuading the scholars of the seminary that despite Chizkiah's mediocrity, his wonderful personality, coupled with his powerful desire to learn Torah, would be a worthwhile asset to the study hall.

Much to his delight, Rabbi Chizkiah made his way to the study hall where he'd been accepted, albeit grudgingly. Indeed, he imbibed the holy words of the Talmud and his days were filled with joy. Unbeknownst to him, the seeds of envy had been implanted in the heart of one scholar.

Soon after, the dean left town on business for several weeks. The scholar, nursing his envy for some weeks now, jumped at the opportunity. He secretly approached the gentile cleaning lady who worked in the study hall, and bribed her with a sum of money into spreading a libelous story about Chizkiah. And so the woman went around town, telling everyone about the lowly offense the young rabbi committed with her.

The town was in an uproar, the desecration of G‑d's name severe. Insult upon insult was heaped on Rabbi Chizkiah. When the finger-pointing and shaming became intolerable, Rabbi Chizkiah felt he could no longer endure the excruciating humiliation, and he fled the city.

One man, the wealthy dean of the seminary, refused to be swayed by the slanderous libel. But, a lone voice in the wilderness, no one seemed to mind him. Saddened by the painful chain of events, he fired the maid and asked her not to return.

A change of heart began to niggle at herSome time passed. The blaze of dispute began to die down, life returned to normal, and the cleaning woman's stash of money ran dry. Unemployed and lacking the means to feed her family, a change of heart began to niggle at her. What had she done? What had she been thinking when she played her shameful part in broadcasting lies and deceit?

She tracked down Rabbi Chizkiah and visited him in his home. She confessed her role in fabricating the terrible story, and begged for forgiveness. She pleaded with him to appeal to the head of the seminary to give her back her job. In return, she promised to announce the truth and publicly admit that she had been bribed.

Though the earth continued to revolve peacefully on its axis, and the little village was going about its everyday existence, to Rabbi Chizkiah, this was an earthshaking moment. He felt at a crossroads. On one side lay the unbelievable opportunity he'd hoped for--a chance to clear his name of the sordid actions attributed to him, to throw off the burden of degradation. Yet if the true story would come to light, exposing the disgraceful behavior a person stooped to – especially a Torah scholar – in promulgating lies, the desecration of G‑d's name would be tremendous.

One can only imagine the intensity of the struggle raging within Rabbi Chizkiah. The strength of character and the power of self-control that requires one to overcome the desire to free oneself from the burden of shame is hard to grasp.

Rabbi Chizkiah turned to the maid, expressed his forgiveness and assured her that he would appeal to her boss and ask him to return her previous position. But then he forbade her to disclose the true story of what had prompted her actions and never to discuss the details of the bribery.

"At that moment," Rabbi Chizkiah later recounted, "when I accepted this difficult decision, I felt that a wellspring of knowledge opened up within me and I became a different person. I began to grasp the meaning and depths of Torah on an entirely different level."

He became renown as an incredible genius, a giant in TorahNot long afterward, Rabbi Chizkiah Medini authored the brilliant Sdei Chemed, a multi-volume text on Jewish law, and acheived renown as an incredible genius, a giant in Torah. Anyone who glimpses the famous Sdei Chemed is immediately astounded by the depth and breadth of this encyclopedic masterpiece. Only a finely-honed mind of unusual caliber could turn out a text of this scope.

Instead of the shame he thought would mark him all his life, the legendary name of greatness preceded him wherever he went.