by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Sefas Tamim Foundation

Craig Newmark is the founder of what is known as �Craigslist� which was established in 1994.�� Nineteen years later, Craigslist became the origin-cause of a widely reported and remarkable incident involving everyday emes.� Rabbi Noach Muroff needed a piece of furniture for his home office.� He had found one on Craigslist and bought it.

However, the top of the desk protruded beyond the bottom part of the desk and presented a hurdle to get it through the door.�� and it would have been more efficient it wouldn�t exactly fit through the door.

Rabbi Muroff unscrewed the top of the desk and found a bag behind the file drawers.� That bag contained some $98,000 in cash.� It was past 11:00 PM, but the Rabbi and his wife called the previous owner and told her about the money.� They then returned the $98,000.

The rabbi and his wife took their four children for the drive to return the money.� He remarked, �Both my wife and I were raised as Orthodox Jews, and this is what we were taught from a young age. To do what is right..�

The incident was reminiscent of a story recorded in the Midrash (Dvarim Rabbah 3) where the great Rabbi, Shimon Ben Shetach had purchased a donkey from an Ishmaelite.� His students had found a precious stone that had been obscured during the purchase, hanging around the donkey�s neck.� Rav Shimon Ben Shetach said, �I purchased a donkey. I did not purchase a precious stone.�� The Ishmaelite responded, �Blessed be Hashem, the G-d of Shimon Ben Shetach.�

The Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach incident had entered in the annals of the literary oeuvre of Torah sh�b�al peh.� The Rabbi Muroff incident had made the rounds of newspapers and internet sites across the world.

The story is inspirational and is reflective of the value of everyday emes.� We must recall that emes is the signet ring, so to speak, of the Creator Himself.� Following it is a fulfillment of the Mitzvah of “v’halachta bidrachav – walking in His path.”

The incident happened in New Haven, Connecticut.� Now the Rabbi and his family live in Scottsdale, Arizona.� He and his wife both work hard at the Torah Day School of Phoenix and Rabbi Muroff is also the Associate Rabbi in an outreach shul called, “Ahavas Torah.”.� The two of them continue being a shining example of Torah and everyday emes.

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