The Stolen Shtreimel

Rav Dovid'l Tolner was a great ba'al middos, with a big heart and sterling character. Once the Rebbe sat surrounded by family and chassidim at a seudas mitzvah. As was his custom on such occasions, he wore his sable fur shtreimel and sat near an open window. The window was much higher than the street outside, and to passersby it must have looked as if the shtreimel were simply sitting on the sill. A passerby saw it, grabbed it and ran off.

Inside, the house erupted. The chassidim and the family were in an uproar. What chutzpah, to steal the Rebbe's shtreimel right off his head. They were about to run after the thief, but Rav Dovid'l would hear none of it.

"Leave him be. I order you not to pursue him. He is no thief. Obviously he must be in a really bad situation and needs the money, so he probably went to pawn the shtreimel to feed his hungry family. Poor souls, they must be starving. Listen, he is no thief; the shtreimel is ownerless. I relinquish all ownership of it. I hereby declare it hefker, and no one should be held responsible or punished on my account. Why should you pursue him and shame him? We will simply buy a new shtreimel."