Redeeming hostages is one of the greatest deeds in Judaism. The Talmud, Maimonides, and many rabbis explain that ransoming captives is so critical that it is even more important than food and clothing. Some rabbis have said that you can sell a Torah scroll to raise ransom money. Today, Hamas is extorting the Jewish state. There is an unfortunate and long history of kidnapping Jews for ransom and extorting Jewish communities for excessive sums of money.
Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, one of the greatest Ashkenazi rabbis who ever lived, was kidnapped and ransomed. One of the Tosafot who commented on the Talmud , he was a great liturgical poet who authored many of our High Holy Day prayers. Rabbi Meir witnessed the public burning of the Talmud in Paris on June 17, , and then ran away to Rothenburg, where he got his name.
While waiting for the rest of his travel party in the Lombardy mountains, he was captured and imprisoned on the fourth of Tammuz, June 28, Trying to escape Europe, he had been traveling with his wife, daughters, and sons-in-law. The bishop of Basel was returning from a trip to Rome and with him was a former Jew named Kneppe, who recognized Rabbi Meir. Kneppe told the bishop about the rabbi. The bishop told the lord of the city, Count Meinhard, who in turn delivered Rabbi Meir to Emperor Rudolph I, who promptly threw the rabbi in prison, where he remained until his death, seven years later, in While he was in prison, the emperor demanded an excessive ransom for Rabbi Meir of 30, silver marks.
One of his students, Rabbeinu Asher, raised 23, marks, but Rabbi Meir refused to be ransomed for fear that it would incentivize more kidnappings, higher ransoms, and extortions. Susskind is buried right next to him. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter. Subscribe Now.
