A dishonest man would obtain money from unsuspecting people by attaching himself to צדיקים and having some of the respect which they earned rub off on him. In the manner of the גדולים at that time, he would sign his name with the seemingly modest title הקטן. This prompted one of his victims to say: “In מסכת חולין, the חכמים said: גדולים צדיקים במיתתם יותר מבחייהם. I hope you become a גדול soon.”
06/10/2021