The young man was about to agree and return to his band of robbers when he remembered his oath to the Rabi that he would never return to his comrades. Turning to his companion, he said in a firm tone, “No, I will never return to you.”
“But if you do not come with us tonight, the caravan will safely pass and we will lose a fortune.”
“Sorry,” replied the young man, “I made a promise and I cannot tell a lie.”
Another Chance To Steal The thief returned to the forest and the young man went back to his room. He was very hungry and began to look around for food, but there was not even a morsel of bread anywhere. While he was searching he noticed the mistress of the house in which he lived leave the house and close the door behind her.
“This will give me an opportunity to climb through an open window of her apartment and find some food in her place. For how can I work on an empty stomach?”
He immediately climbed through an open window into her apartment and began seeking food, but alas there was none there either. But while looking he saw some beautiful silverware in one of her drawers. Taking the silverware with him, he left the house with the intention of selling it and buying food with the money.
Suddenly, he remembered his oath. “If the woman will ask me about the silverware I will have to say I don’t know. This will violate my oath,” he thought to himself.
He thereupon returned the silver, and although he was still very hungry, he became a changed man. He became a happy man who was able to withstand temptation. He worked hard that day on an empty stomach, but when he received his pay and bought food, he enjoyed eating it more than he ever did in his life.
From that day onward, he worked hard and G-d helped him. He married and had wonderful sons and daughters and he lived to an old age and he was a blessing to all of Israel.
