Finder's Keepers - Rabbi Yoel Gold | Mussar

imagine you're walking on the street you look down you see something sparkling and shiny bend down you pick it up it's a diamond drink what would you do well a few months ago a fellow by the name of billy harris found a diamond ring in his cup in which he collected money in and he decided he's going to wait until the person who had lost it comes back and collects the ring when billy harris was asked why did he do it why didn't he just keep it he said because he grew up in a religious home his grandfather was a pastor and he was taught that one of the commandments of god is to return a lost item ten days ago champions league winner jerome boateng lost his gold medal just yesterday nick zaccardi a reporter for sports illustrated returned that gold medal and when he was asked we contacted him we asked him why what motivated you to return that gold medal he said the golden rule i just imagined what if it was me that had lost that gold medal how would i have felt and that's what propelled me to return the gold medal to jerome bowtank when god commands moshe to teach us the laws monetary laws how people should behave with other people's money he tells moshe to teach it to them and present it to them like you present food on the table the message god is telling moshe is that he should convey to the jewish people that these laws shouldn't be performed out of guilt or out of fear they should be performed because it becomes part and parcel of their being just like food is processed and digested and becomes part of you so to the laws of returning other people's lost items should also be performed because that's what you feel is the right thing to do it was inspiring to see billy harris and nick zuccardi do the right thing in return the lost object but it's been equally thought provoking to hear why they did it the two questions i'd like to leave you with is a what would you do if you found a diamond ring or a gold medal would you return it and b why