Yeshivaworld had reported a few months ago about a few Sifrei Torah which were stolen from Antwerp, Belgium. B”H one of the Sifrei Torah was returned to the Rov of Grodno, Russia after paying the thieves an exorbenant amount of money. The group of thieves are still in possession of two additional Sifrei Torah which were stolen from Viznitz Shtiebel in Antwerp; and are requesting that they get paid additional money before returning them.–YW Editor.
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4 Responses
What is the Halacha in a situation like this? Is there an obligation to pay these thieves to have the Sifrei Torah returned?
I would think this would encourage them to continue stealing and demand even more money in return.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there a famous story with the Maharam who refused to be ransomed for years, knowing this would set a precedent for thieves. I believe he eventually died in prison and his body wasn’t released until a number of years later, when the ransom was finally paid.
I had the same question also…….Is it like Pidyon Shevuin?
Anyone?
Just for the record, Grodno, a city with a rich Yiddishe past that was wiped out by the Nzis and the Communists ymach shmam, is in Belarus.
And this sounds like the work of an international ring based in the former Soviet Union and made up of emigrants from same who unfortunately are Jews or of Jewish descent. When I lived in Russia, stories abounded of these creeps both stealing sifrei torah in Russia and trying to sell stolen sifrei torah to new Russian communities (as was the case here).
Hate to sound prejudiced, but if some sleazy looking Russian, Gruzini or Bukharan suddenly shows up at shul, beware and keep them far away from valuables, as your sefer torah and any silver in the shul may be on the list. Sifrei Torah can now be registered, and if your shul’s aron kodesh is not built around a safe, take the sifrei torah out when not in use and relocate them to a safe.
First off, pidyon Shevuyim is a Mitzvah D’Oraisah, which we are OBLIGATED to do. However, the Halachah is that if the kidnappers or whatever demand an exorbitant ransom, it is forbidden to pay them, because it will encourage them to continue kidnapping Jews and holding them for ransom. If I’m not mistaken, the incident with the Maraham of Rottenberg was indeed because the Duke (Alphonso?) was demanding an exorbitant amount of money.