By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
The Taichmans were the wealthiest family in the small town of Țigănași, Romania. The family’s business was bottle making. They also had a large grain field, and they kept cows, which allowed them to make their own sour cream and cheese, delicacies few of the town’s Jewish families could afford.
As the richest man in town, Shmuel Taichman was frequently asked for loans, which he gave with an open hand.
Țigănași had one shul and one mikvah, but no proper medical care. Outbreaks were common, and they took a heavy toll. Those who survived the contagion often suffered from chronic illnesses or disabilities that prevented them from working. In short, Shmuel’s loans were not often repaid.
Whenever a member of the community passed away, Shmuel would join the funeral with everyone else. But when the casket was placed in the ground, he would push up to the front. Everyone in the town knew what he was going to do, but that didn’t make it less shocking.
Sometimes, people would try to stop him, saying that it was not a proper way for a rich man to behave. Shmuel ignored them. No one should come before the Heavenly court owing money, he said. He would not have the departed face an indictment on his account.
Thus, he would stand over the casket and rip up every loan document into small pieces, declaring, “These are nullified, as if they never existed.”
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