Evading a Tough Fine
During the days of the hilula for our holy mentor, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, Mr. Chaim, a noted supporter of our institutions, related the following inspiring story regarding the mitzvah of tzedakah.
When he once gave in his tax report, he reported his contributions for tzedakah as well, so that he could get deductions on them. The gentile who took his case was skeptical about the huge sums listed there. Assuming that there was foul play at work, he refused to give him credit for them. Mr. Chaim did not yield. After much back and forth, he ended up being fined to the tune of two million dollars.
During that time, Mr. Chaim sent me a donation of fifty thousand dollars. Once again, he showed his receipt to the powers that be, in order to obtain a tax deduction. But they rejected it, once again declaring that it was too huge a sum for mere charity. Additionally, they sent down a representative to caution him about the severity of counterfeit contributions and receipts.
Mr. Chaim loudly berated the man who stood before him. He protested that all of the forms and figures he had shown the tax authorities were above suspicion. Then he categorically threw the man out of his office, warning him to never show his face again. This fellow would not take such umbrage sitting down. He called the police down to Mr. Chaim’s office. The police arrested Mr. Chaim for insulting a government employee. But Mr. Chaim was not fazed in the least. In his loud, clear voice, he boomed, “I donated to the Torah institutions of Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a. I have nothing to fear from you. Now please leave my office immediately!”
When the officers saw his determination, they had a change of heart. They began speaking to him calmly. Finally, they took their leave. A short time later, they phoned up to say that they were willing to compromise with him. Instead of paying the sum of two million dollars, he would be required to pay only ten thousand dollars.
Mr. Chaim added a footnote to his story. Since he knew that all of his donations had gone to the worthy cause of Rabbi Chaim Pinto’s institutions, he did not fear the tax authorities or the police force. He knew the tzaddik would come to his aid.
That was exactly what happened. Instead of receiving a hefty fine, together with a prison sentence, he was cleared with only a relatively small fine.
