The Maharam of Rothenburg:[1]
The Maharam of Rothenburg who was the greatest Torah giant and leader of his generation, was taken captive and held for a very high ransom.[2] Despite the community’s desire to redeem him for the high some, the Maharam of Rothenburg refused to allow himself to be redeemed under the claim that the sages prohibited redeeming a captive for more than his value. Now, although it is permitted to redeem a captive for more than his value if he is a Torah scholar, nonetheless, the Maharam of Rothenburg was stringent upon himself as he did not want the government to continue capturing the Torah leaders and cause Torah to be lost from Israel. He hence refused to be redeemed and indeed was successful in stopping the scheme of capturing Torah scholars from then on.
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[1] Rashal in Yam Shel Shlomo Gittin 4:66
[2] Tradition has it that a large ransom of 23,000 marks silver was raised for him.
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