Q. Is it true what they say that after suffering a fire one acquires wealth? (Noch a sreifa vert men raich – Yidish).
A. Likute Harim (2: 88) comments on an unusual occurrence. After a fire in which people frequently lost everything they owned, the victims would often eventually become wealthier than before. This odd experience happened often enough for a phrase to be coined. Namely; “Noch a sreifa vert men raich”
or “After suffering a blaze, one acquires wealth.”
The Chidushe Harim adressed this strange occurrence of seemingly unrelated events. He also wondered why people don’t become wealthy after being victim to a robbery, which could also be a most devastating experience. The answer, he explains, can be deduced from the gemara in Chulin 55b. Therewe find the case of “Tzomko Hareiya” or an animal lung which became dry and shrunken or hardened due to man’s actions, such as scaring the animal, is tereifah, but if the same thing happens by heavenly causes such as thunder, it is kosher. He argues that the he same is true regarding the difference between a fire and a robbery. A fire is from heaven. Like a lung that has atrophied, one who experiences can recuperate and sometimes does even better after his convalescence, since he was affected directly by Hashem, and He has great compassion.
However, a robbery, is more complicated. One’s assets diminish through other people’s interests and intervention. It is therefore rarer for one to recover from theft.
Horav Pinchas MiKoretz, zt”l, explained the above phenomena differently. “It is not by accident that people usually do better after a fire hut not after robbery or the like. It is mainly because a blaze is so devastating and noticeable, the fire and smoke could be seen and felt far and away, calling the attention of many. Numerous people would feel strongly worried and pained for the victims, pray for them and wish them a yeshua. When a tzibur of many are hurting and daven, as when a fire occurs, it becomes a heartfelt prayer offered by the community and makes an indelible impression on high. The yeshua is then prompt to come as opposed to a robbery, that more often that not is done hiddenly. (See Stories of the Daf – Chulin 55, Nechmad Lemareh – Tazria and Siach Sarfei Kodesh)
There are similar sources in the seforim that follow Lubavitch teachings, see Meah Shearim (18: 2) from the Tzemach Tzedek.
Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a mentioned that the above is indeed a common popular saying and recommended telling it to the victims of fire, to bring comfort and consolation to their suffering.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a