The Wine Cellar Test
A poor helper lost his life savings in a locked cellar, and Rav Shlomo found a way to make the truth come out without accusing anyone.
There is a tale of a Jewish wine seller in Brod who kept barrels of valuable wine in a locked cellar. A young man worked for him. One Friday, as Shabbos came near, the helper chose the cellar as the safest place to leave his small purse, which held two hundred gold rubles, everything he had managed to save.
When Shabbos ended, the purse was gone. He asked his employer, who said he knew nothing about it. The helper then went to Rav Shlomo and wept as he told his story. He did not want to accuse anyone, he said, but the cellar had been locked and only the owner held the keys.
Rav Shlomo called for the wine merchant and asked him about it, and the merchant said again that he knew nothing. Rav Shlomo spoke to him with warmth. He told him that he trusted him, that no Jew could do such a thing to a poor man, and that the matter must therefore have another explanation: a non-Jew must have broken into the cellar.
The merchant nodded, and then Rav Shlomo continued. If that was so, he said, then the wine had been handled by a non-Jew, and by halacha he would have to declare all of it forbidden and announce it publicly. The merchant turned pale. A fortune was now at stake. He admitted that he did recall finding a purse. Rav Shlomo would not close the matter until the man had gone home and returned with the money, which was then given back to the helper.
Source: Anaf Etz Avos, p. 4 (told by Rav Ovadia Yosef on Avos 1:1)
When you suspect someone of wrongdoing, it is tempting to confront them in a way that makes them defend themselves. This week, if a situation like this comes up, try giving the person a way to correct things without losing face. Speak to them privately and assume the best, and let them see what is at stake. Many people will do the right thing when they are given dignity and room to act. Before you speak, think about how you would want to be approached.