An employee of a winery in Prague came crying to the נודע-ביהודה. “I’ve been working in the winery for two years and saved up a considerable amount of money. Every ערב שבת, I hid the money between the casks in the cellar. This Sunday, when I went to take out the money, I was horrified to find it missing. This was my life savings. I don’t know what to do.” “Is there someone whom you suspect?” asked the רב. “Yes,” he answered. “I suspect the בעל הבית. He and I are the only ones who go to the wine cellar.” The נודע-ביהודה immediately called for the בעל הבית, who, of course, denied having taken the money. “Is there anyone else besides the two of you who has access to the cellar?” the רב asked. After a moment of thought, the בעל הבית said “Yes. The גוי who drives the wagon sometimes goes down.” Hearing this, the נודע-ביהודה said “If so, it’s logical to assume that the גוי is the one who stole the money.” The בעל הבית promptly agreed. “Therefore,” the נודע-ביהודה said, “since the גוי had access to the barrels of wine, there is concern that he touched the barrels and I have no choice but לפסול all the wine in the cellar as יין נסך.” The בעל הבית shamelessly retracted his remarks and immediately said that he remembers finding money, which he then handed over to the employee.
06/10/2021