The Rambam’s Revolutionary Halachic Rulings & Their Impact in Heaven – A Tribute on His Yahrzeit, the 20th of Tevet:
This article is written in commemoration of the Rambam’s yahrzeit, which falls on the 20th of Tevet. The Rambam—Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon—was a towering figure in Jewish history, a man whose influence transcended generations. First and foremost, he was a brilliant Torah scholar and codifier, whose revolutionary rulings shaped halachic discourse for centuries. Beyond his halachic contributions, he was also a physician, a statesman, and a philosopher—a true Renaissance figure, greater than life itself. In this article, we will explore two fascinating and groundbreaking rulings of the Rambam, some of which are not accepted as normative halacha today, yet reflect his bold and visionary approach and how they made a mark in Heaven itself. We will conclude with an extraordinary story about how, on the day of the Rambam’s yahrzeit, the heavenly court ruled in accordance with his opinion.
The Rambam’s Ruling on One Who Shames a Torah Scholar
The Rambam[1] rules that an individual who shames, belittles, or embarrasses a Torah scholar is subject to severe consequences: such a person is liable for excommunication and must pay a hefty fine of one litra of gold.[2] This ruling underscores the gravity of dishonoring a Torah scholar, as it strikes at the very honor of Torah itself. However, while this was the practical ruling in the Rambam’s time, the Rama[3] in the Shulchan Aruch notes that today this fine is no longer enforced in practice, and a rather smaller fine is given. At first glance, this may appear to be a leniency—suggesting that one can shame a Torah scholar and escape with only a minor penalty. In truth, however, this change introduces a profound stringency: one cannot achieve full atonement for shaming a Torah scholar, even if one were to give the full amount of the original fine. The spiritual blemish remains, and repentance is far more complex.
To illustrate this principle, we now present a fascinating story involving the Alter Rebbe, which demonstrates how, on the yahrzeit of the Rambam, the heavenly court rules in accordance with his opinion—allowing for the giving of money as a means of repentance and atonement for one who shamed a Torah scholar.
A Story of atoning for belittling a Torah scholar on the Rambam’s Yahrzeit[4]
The mashpia R’ Shlomo Zalman of blessed memory once shared a powerful story he heard from the chassid R’ Tuvia Balkin, a devoted follower of the Alter Rebbe. R’ Tuvia was childless for many years and repeatedly sought a blessing from the Alter Rebbe. On one occasion, the Rebbe told him: “Travel to the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev—and don’t be foolish.”
With hope renewed, the chassid traveled to Berditchev and entered Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s room to request a blessing. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak said: “If you give me a sum equal to five hundred silver rubles[5], you will be saved and have children.” The chassid was shocked. Five hundred rubles? He thought: “From my Rebbe, I have never heard such a demand for money in exchange for a blessing!” He refused. He returned several times, offering smaller amounts, but Rabbi Levi Yitzchak stood firm. Finally, after much inner struggle, the chassid came back and said: “I will give the full amount.” Rabbi Levi Yitzchak replied: “Now it will no longer help you.”
Broken and confused, the chassid returned home and went straight to the Alter Rebbe. “Rebbe,” he asked, “Why was such a large sum required? And why, when I finally agreed, did Rabbi Levi Yitzchak say it was too late?”
The Alter Rebbe explained: “Once, you disgraced a Torah scholar. According to most opinions, the punishment for that is to remain childless. Only according to the Rambam can this be overturned by giving a ‘litra of gold’ to charity—a sum equal to about five hundred rubles. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak wanted to help you by receiving that amount on the Rambam’s yahrzeit, the 20th of Tevet, when in heaven the ruling follows the Rambam. Had you given it then, the judgment would have been reversed. But after the yahrzeit passed, he could no longer rule against the majority of the other poskim.”
The chassid then asked: “Rebbe, why did you send me to him? Could you not have ruled this way yourself?” The Alter Rebbe answered with deep emotion: “I could not do it—because the Torah scholar you disgraced was my own teacher and master, Reb Yissacher Ber of Lubavitch who had been my teacher as a child.”
[1] Rambam Mishneh Torah Hilchos Talmud Torah 6:12 and Hilchos Chovel Umazik 3:5; Yerushalmi Bava Kama 8:6; See also Shut Rashba 1:475 and Rivash 27, 216 and 220, brought in Beis Yosef 243
[2] A litra of gold is an ancient weight measure, approximately 327 grams. At today’s gold price (about $142.82 per gram for 24K gold), this equals roughly $46,700 USD. This underscores the immense value the Rambam placed on honoring Torah scholars.
[3] Rama Y.D. 243:7; Maharik 163; Maryu 163
[4] Various versions of this story have appeared in different publications. The version presented here is recorded in Sefer HaMashpia by the renowned chassid Rabbi Shlomo Zalman. For a comprehensive historical analysis of the story and its variations, see the introduction to Sefer Rambam HaShaleim, published by Chazak.
[5] In the late 1700s, a silver ruble contained approximately 24 grams of silver. At today’s silver price (about $0.80 per gram), 500 rubles would equal roughly $9,500 USD in raw silver value. Historically, however, 500 rubles represented a substantial fortune, often equivalent to several years of income for a wealthy merchant or landowner—far beyond the means of ordinary individuals.
