Rebbetzin Riddle: The Talmud Teaches us!

Once Rabbi Samuel bar Sosrati visited Rome. At the time, the Queen lost her jewels. She decreed that whoever returned them before 30 days would receive a big reward. Whoever returned them after 30 days would lose his head!

Rabbi Shmuel found the jewels soon after the queen announced her decree. But instead of returning them quickly, he waited. After 30 days, he went to the palace and placed the jewels in front of the Queen.

"Were you in the city?" the Queen asked.

"Yes, I was here," Rabbi Shmuel answered.

"Did you know about my decree?" she questioned.

"Yes, I did," he replied.

"Why didn't you return the jewels at then? Why did you wait?" the Queen responded.

Rabbi Shmuel looked at her and answered, "I waited so that you would not think that I returned the jewels because I feared you. I did it because I fear G-d, and it is a mitzvah to return lost objects! "

At that, the Queen said, "Blessed be the G-d of the Jews!"