With the Black Death raging throughout Switzerland, poison was reported to have been found in the wells at Zofingen. Some Jews were put to the "Dümeln" (thumbscrews) test, whereupon they "admitted" their guilt of the charges brought against them. This discovery was then communicated to the people of Basel, Zurich, Freiburg-im-Breisgau, and even Cologne.
The Jews of Basel were burned on an island in the Rhine on January 9, 1349, in wooden huts that were especially built for the occasion. Their children, who were spared, were taken and forcibly baptized.
On his way back from participating in a brit milah ceremony in Bohuslav (in what is now Ukraine), R. Aryeh Leib, known as the “Grandfather of Shpoli” was crossing over the frozen Ros River when the ice suddenly broke beneath his feet. Miraculously he was saved, and to this day his descendants mark this date with a joyous feast (Ish Hapelleh, pp. 299–301).
Daniel Pearl, an American-born Jewish reporter for The Wall Street Journal was kidnapped by terrorists in Karachi by a militant group calling itself the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty, which claimed that Pearl was a spy.
Nine days later, on Shevat 19 (Feb 1), Pearl was beheaded on videotape. The gruesome tape has Pearl stating that, “… My father's Jewish, my mother's Jewish, I'm Jewish. …”
The Torah describes four ways you might be responsible for another person’s property: You might be a borrower, a renter, a paid custodian, or an unpaid custodian.
The borrower has near-total liability. The renter and the paid custodian are liable only in cases of negligence. An unpaid custodian is only liable if he abandons his duties or uses the property for himself.
These are the four options you have when entrusted with a life on Planet Earth:
You could take it as just borrowed time to do whatever you like with life and the planet.
Your Maker will say, “Fine, have it your way. I’m not involved, and any damage is your responsibility.”
Just as a borrower takes upon himself all liability.
Or you could work out a contract with your Maker, as in, “You do this for me and I’ll do that for you.” You could be either a renter or a paid custodian.
Your Maker will say, “It’s a deal. I’ll help you out. But if you don’t keep your half of the deal, I won’t be able to keep Mine.”
Just as a renter or a paid custodian takes partial responsibility.
Or you could recognize that all you have belongs to the One Above and your entire life’s meaning is as His agent.
You are the unpaid, faithful steward of life. You do whatever you can, and He will take complete responsibility for all your needs and all your life.