“I decided that anytime I see a rabbi,” the gangster drawled, “I’m gonna take care of him”

A frum businessman who often has to travel for business recently found himself in completely unfamiliar surroundings. To his horror, he quickly realized that the area was dominated by underworld criminals and gang members and that law enforcement held little to no authority there.

Naturally, he was on edge throughout his visit, and his tension spiked when a particularly aggressive-looking man waved him over. He was in for a pleasant surprise, though.

“I’m the boss around here,” the man reassured him, “and you’ve got nothing to worry about. And not just you,” he continued, “but any rabbi.”

The gang leader explained that he had once been employed by Rabbi Zeev Rothschild z”l, a well-known Lakewood talmid chacham and proprietor of NPGS, a local grocery store. Rabbi Rothschild, whose magnanimous acts of chesed often went unnoticed even by the recipient, had made an indelible impression on his former employee.

“The rabbi treated me with such respect,” the gangster drawled, “that I decided that anytime I see a rabbi, I’m gonna take care of him.”

For the rest of the businessman’s stay, he enjoyed the big boss’s protection, and the locals knew that he was untouchable.

The respect and dignity offered by a caring Yid to his employee years ago created a safety net for another Yid in his time of need.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 965)