Mystery of the Missing Fortune: The Scandal That Shook a Community

A joyous wedding took place in the Jewish community of Oran, Algeria, around the year 1400, more than 600 years ago: Joseph Abo, a wealthy man, married Leah. For many years, Joseph had struggled to find his match. Despite accumulating great wealth, his quiet and reserved nature made it difficult. Now, in good fortune, he had married Leah, a local widow who had lost her husband several months earlier. She and her young son moved into Joseph's spacious home, and everyone wished them their best blessings.

It soon became clear that Leah was quite dominant. She, along with her mother, took over management of Joseph's business, and irregularities began to surface...

Rabbi Amram, the rabbi of Oran, described in a question he sent to the head rabbi of Spanish Jews, Rabbi Isaac bar Sheshet, the Ribash: "This Joseph placed control of his affairs in his wife's hands. All the keys to his house were with her, and she was secretly selling his goods without his knowledge. He often complained, both at home and publicly, that his merchandise was missing, like purple, silk, pepper, oil, and various trade items. But he couldn't identify the losses since his wife had her mother as a cover, who accepted and sold what the daughter took from Joseph's home."

Joseph remained quiet and reserved, even as his new wife took control of the business. He couldn't fathom how and where his goods disappeared, but life went on, and he even had children from this marriage.

As time passed, Joseph became ill and was on his deathbed. When asked by the rabbi if he wished to write a will detailing the distribution of his considerable wealth, he replied that he trusted the court to determine ownership and rightful inheritance. He did not have the emotional strength to confront the injustice done to him and left the matter for the court to resolve.

Immediately following his death, the court ordered the locking of all of Joseph's chests and warehouses until the matter was clarified. The family sat shiva at his home and mourned him properly. At the end of the shiva, they wanted to open the chests and warehouses to gather and inspect the property, only to find everything empty...

Rabbi Amram declared a ban, stating that anyone aware of the fate of Joseph's assets must testify before the court or face severe consequences!

Following this stern declaration, a terrified and trembling blacksmith came forward, revealing that Joseph's wife had ordered duplicate keys for all the storage areas. Alongside him, various individuals testified about mysterious transfers of merchandise during Joseph's illness, and even during the shiva. Her son from her previous marriage was seen secretly transferring sealed packages to various locations in the middle of the night, using different couriers. Serious allegations also surfaced regarding her disregard for Joseph's well-being.

The woman, however, denied everything and even demanded her ketubah, which her husband had committed to upon marriage.

The Ribash read the testimony protocols carefully and responded sharply. First of all, he found it impossible that Joseph truly became destitute without leaving anything: "Indeed, I am marvelously puzzled by this matter. For the late, unfortunate Joseph Abo, of blessed memory, was exceptionally knowledgeable in trade, quick and shrewd in his dealings, and how could he possibly fall from such a wealth to this described extent?"

Beyond the inappropriate actions of many, the Ribash ruled that even the blacksmith bore responsibility: "Truly, the blacksmith who secretly made duplicate keys for her, without her husband's knowledge, and took an excessive payment for them, deserves punishment for failing to inform the husband. He should have understood that her intention was to steal her husband's assets, hence he is complicit; as the saying goes, 'Not the mouse steals, but the hole.'"

The blacksmith should not have played dumb. If a woman comes asking for an additional key, in secret, it's obvious she intends to steal, and thus he is also responsible.