Grappling with the Gray #116: What's in your wallet?

Is justice served if you talk your way out of court?

That's the question that drives the conversation when Christopher Bauer, PhD, CSP, CFS, Jennifer H. Elder, CSP, CPA, and Jeff Koziatek join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is our topic:

Jewish folklore tells of a poor man who finds a billfold with $700 in it. At his synagogue, he reads on the notice board that a wealthy congregant has lost his billfold and is offering a $100 reward for it. He spots the owner and gives him the billfold.

The rich man counts the money and says, “I see you already took your reward.”

The poor man answers, “I don’t understand.”

“This billfold had $800 in it when I lost it. Now it’s a hundred short.”

They begin arguing, and eventually come before the rabbi.

Both congregants state their case. The rich man concludes by saying, “Rabbi, I trust you believe me.”

The rabbi answers, “Of course.” The rich man smiles. The poor man is crushed.

Then the rabbi hands the billfold to the poor man.

“What are you doing?!” cries the rich man.

The rabbi answers, “You are, of course, an honest man, and you say the billfold you lost had $800 in it. Therefore, I’m sure it did. But if the man who found this billfold is a liar and a thief, he wouldn’t have returned it at all. That means he also is telling the truth. In that case, this billfold must belong to somebody else. If that man steps forward, he’ll get the money. Until then, it belongs to the man who found it.”

“But what about my money?” the rich man asks.

“Well, we’ll just have to wait until somebody finds a billfold with $800 in it…”

What are we to make of the rabbi’s ruling?


Meet this week’s panel:


Christopher Bauer is a Speaker, Author, and Consultant on Ethics, Compliance, and Accountability.

Jennifer Elder is a CPA and Certified Speaking Professional who helps leaders future-proof their businesses by making smart decisions and staying ethical.

Jeff Koziatek is a certified speaker and peak performance coach, helping professionals to navigate change, sharpen focus, avoid burnout, and make a difference. He is also one of St. Louis Business Monthly's 100 St. Louisans you should know.