The Coin Shaving Scandal: A Threat to the Jewish Community

As many know, it's prohibited to shave one's beard in violation of halachic guidelines. Even when shaving the head, one must avoid shaving the area of the sideburns. But have you ever heard about the prohibition against shaving coins?

The head of Ashkenazi Jewry, Maharil of Rotenberg, wrote: "Those who shave coins – their hands should be cut off, for much blood has been spilled by these and others who discredit coins, leading to devastation of our brethren in France and England," (Responsa of Maharil of Rotenberg).

In those days, coins were made of precious metal, like gold and silver. Over time, these coins would wear down, losing their pristine appearance. This led to temptation: by shaving a small amount from the coin using a knife, just a few silver or even gold threads, and then polishing the spot diligently, it went unnoticed. Only the king's officers, who had precise scales, could tell. Even a worn coin continued circulating in the market. 

Authorities regarded coin shaving as a crime punishable by death because they had no other way to defend against it. Tracking down the shaver was nearly impossible since anyone could claim to have received the coin in that condition. Consequently, when a 'shaver' was caught, they were harshly punished.

This nefarious idea enticed cunning and talented individuals, especially if they were in dire poverty. A person might risk everything for their life. The problem was that if a Jew got caught doing this, the entire community was blamed. The Rema ruled in the laws of informing that, despite the severe prohibition against 'mesirah,' one is permitted to inform the authorities about a coin shaver because he knowingly endangered all Jews!

When Maharil mentions "leading to devastation of our brethren in France and England," he refers to the Jews of France and English Jews, then known simply as "the island." In 1290, exactly 100 years after the York massacre in England, Jews were brutally and suddenly expelled from all over England. One of the accusations was: they shave coins. This was the first expulsion where a Christian country expelled all its Jews. Many, many more would follow.

The Jewish population of England grew despite the York massacre and other incidents, as the pressure and hardship on Jews in France were even more unbearable. Christians spared no mercy on Jews everywhere, and when Edward I came to power, the English felt there were "too many Jews" in England.

The first blood libel in England occurred in 1144, the first known in Europe. A boy named William from Norwich was found dead in a forest. A converted Jew named Theobald alleged that "it's known" that Jewish communities cast lots annually on who'll secure a Christian child's body for matzot, claiming that Norwich was selected this year. Norwich's army officer did not uphold the charge, rightly so: such a foolish notion had never been known. But some gentiles acted harshly against Jews. Slowly, the absurd idea seeped in, and over time, it was accepted among Christians without questioning.

In 1278, royal officials concluded that Jews systematically shaved coins. Three hundred Jews were imprisoned in the Tower until they confessed to the crime. The underlying reason was that King Edward faced financial difficulties. He dearly loved wars and conquests, and wars cost money... For this reason, he offered "criminals" amnesty in exchange for considerable sums. Histories long claimed Jews shaved coins, leading to their expulsion. However, when archives in the "Tower of London" opened to the public, revealing protocols and documents from that time, it emerged that far more Christians were arrested for this accusation. Yet, most were released due to lack of proof or were symbolically punished. Jews, however, were fined astronomical amounts unless they paid – they were executed (their homes and properties were seized by the queen's treasury. Queen Eleanor's registers documented revenues of 16,500 pounds from the homes of executed Jews).

Historians have declared the actions were certainly antisemitic, stemming from prejudices against Jews. Unfortunately, this doesn't help the holy and tortured Jews, nor the thousands of families displaced from their homes...

The expulsion decree was issued on the Ninth of Av, 18th of July 1290, mandating Jews to depart England within a set period, with the penalty of death for those who remain. Their homes became crown property. Most Jews moved to the vicinity of France, which was also the origin for many of them. A group of well-off Jews chartered a special ship to take them, along with their belongings, to France. However, the captain navigated the ship onto a sandbank exposed at low tide. The ship halted there for hours, and the passengers disembarked to stretch their legs. As the tide rose, the captain raised the bridges and fled with all their possessions, taunting them: "Wait, Moses will part the sea for you in a moment." Tragically, those Jews drowned somewhere in the icy, turbulent waters of the English Channel.

Coin shaving is recalled in Judaism as a trauma and a great danger. Even with the knowledge that the expulsion was, of course, driven by antisemitism and greed, any engagement in such activity endangers all of Israel, so great was the warning against it.