Rabbah bar bar Chanah and the Porters' Cloaks
Porters break Rabbah bar bar Chanah's wine barrels and he takes their cloaks, but Rav tells him to return them and even pay their wages, beyond the letter of the law.
Rabbah Bar Bar Chana hired workers to transport barrels of wine for him. The workers were negligent, and the barrels broke, causing Rabbah a huge loss. The workers were liable for the negligent actions, so Rabbah seized their cloaks as restitution. The workers went to the great Amora known as Rav to complain.
Rav directed Rabbah to return their cloaks. Rabbah asked Rav, “Is that the law? These workers were negligent!”
Rav said, “Yes, indeed. The verse states, ‘In order that you travel on the road of the good’ (Mishlei 2:20).” Rashi explains that Rav was directing Rabbah to go beyond the letter of the law. True, the workers were negligent, yet the actions were unintentional. Therefore, Rav felt that the proper course of action was to forgive their negligence but forgo payment.
The workers persisted and complained to Rav. “We are poor. We worked the entire day on this project. We are hungry, yet we have nothing.” Whereupon Rav directed Rabbah to pay the workers their expected wages.