P'ninat Mishpat Responsibility of a Guardian
Beit din appointed Reuven as a guardian to assist orphans, with instructions to do his best with the funds they inherited, including securing payment of debts to the deceased. Reuven worked hard to receive payment from debtors, and then lent out the money to reliable people with liens on real estate, loan contracts, and collateral. However, he lent out 25 gold coins to Shimon just based on a loan contract because he considered Shimon particularly reliable and G-d-fearing, and Reuven had his own successful business dealings with Shimon. Reuven reaped some profits on behalf of the orphans from Shimon but left the principle in his hands. One day, Shimon went on a mission of mitzva, along with significant cash to buy merchandise for subsequent sale, and he has not been heard from since then. It is unclear whether he died or was captured by bandits, etc. The orphansโ relatives are now suing Reuven for investing the money without proper collateral. Reuven responds that he did not want the orphansโ money โsitting idlyโ and that he had acted with their money as he had with his own. They responded that he should have been more careful with orphansโ money.
