The Dayan Whose Sight Returned

It is told that Chacham Chaim once ruled on a certain case in a way that made people in the community raise their eyebrows. They were convinced that he had erred, and they began to speak ill of him behind his back. “Surely Rav Chaim must have accepted a bribe,” they said.

Soon afterwards Chacham Chaim lost his sight. To the people this was proof of his guilt, for the Torah itself says that a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise.

These whispers reached him. He poured out his heart to Hashem, begging Him to remove the shameful stain, for he knew he was innocent. Then, before the entire congregation, he declared in public that the suspicions were false and without foundation. “If it is true that I took a bribe,” he said, “then let me stay blind until the day I die. But if the accusations are false, let Hashem restore my sight.”

To the amazement of the whole kehillah, his sight returned suddenly and miraculously, on the spot. The people hung their heads in shame for having suspected their worthy dayan, and from then on they came to him in crowds to receive his bracha.