וְהַכֶּסֶף יַעֲנֶה אֶת הַכֹּל - Money is the answer for everything.
Money, or the pursuit of money is the answer for everything. In other words, it justifies all kinds of behavior, because hey, you gotta make a profit. You gotta live.
So here is a refreshing piece of news out of Israel.
You may have heard of the tragic death of the son of Ilan Ramon. Ilan Ramon was the first Israeli astronaut who died when the shuttle Columbia exploded on re-entry to earth back in February 2003.
Quick aside - an example of money being the excuse for anything - this quote is from wikipedia's description of the post-disaster search effort.
"Some Texas residents recovered some of the debris, ignoring the warnings,and attempted to sell it on the online auction site eBay, starting at $10,000. The auction was quickly removed, but auctions for Columbia merchandise such as programs, photographs and patches, went up dramatically in value immediately following the disaster, creating a surge of Columbia-related listings."
Back to our point. Assaf Ramon's plane crashed in what is currently being deemed an accident. Some yeshiva students nearby apparently heard the crash and went to photograph and video the crash sight. When they heard the pilot had not ejected and that he had died, this is what followed: [The article is reproduced in full, just in case the link is cancelled one day.]
Yeshiva Boys Cede Profits on Ramon Crash Footage
by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) Yeshiva boys near the crash-site of Assaf Ramon, son of fallen astronaut Ilan Ramon, photographed his plane burning and the arrival of rescue teams – but then refused to sell the exclusive photos so as not to desecrate the dead or offend the family.
The students study in the yeshiva high school in Maaleh Hever, a small community in southern Judea. When they heard the explosion of the plane, only about 1.2 kilometers away, they ran out to see what had happened, taking cameras with them. They filmed the plane burning, the arrival of the emergency crews, and the hubbub around the incident.
Somehow, word of the pictures got out, and more than one news agency contacted the boys and offered to pay thousands of shekels for the exclusive footage. When the boys realized that an Air Force pilot had been killed, they consulted with their Rosh Yeshiva (rabbinical dean), Rabbi Amichai Chazan. He explained to them the importance of behaving ethically in such a situation.
The boys understood his message, and refused to sell. "I don't want to profit from this type of situation in which a soldier dies," said one student, Nehorai Hadad.
Instead of selling the pictures, the boys gave the photos to the army personnel investigating the crash – and dedicated their evening's Torah study in memory of Assaf ben [son of] Ilan and Rona Ramon.
Chief IDF Rabbi Avi Ronsky arrived in the yeshiva as well, and praised the boys' actions and the Sanctification of G-d's Name thereof. He spoke with them about the importance of thorough Torah study as the basis for military service excellence.
Maaleh Hever is a 15-year-old religious-Zionist yeshiva high school in which only a minimum of secular studies is offered; nearly the entire day is reserved for Torah study. At least two other similar institutions have been established in its wake, in Jerusalem and in Shaalvim.
© IsraelNN Syndications
There are so many opportunities we have to do things that advance our own self interests. Most of the time they are good and positive.
However, there are times when the impact on others MUST be considered first. And we must be prepared to suffer a loss, or as in this case, avoid a windfall profit whose source is less than ethically justified.
The example set by these yeshiva students is a model for all of us.
This is a very inspiring story. Thanks for sharing.
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