Rogatchover Maaseh

Overheard this maaseh:


Amongst the many chiddushim, novellae,  he published, the Rogatchover included an explanation of a posuk, explaining why the verse in two places uses two different words to describe what seems to be the same thing. 

(The Rogatchover)

[I could not hear which specific posuk]


Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, editor of Encyclopedia Talmudit,  wrote the Rogatchover regarding this particular chiddush, "I saw one particular small and old book, by the name of the "Chumash", and there the pesukim (the verses) do indeed use the same word".

(Rabbi S.Y Zevin with grandchild)

The Rogatchover responded by first thanking Rabbi Zevin for the correction and then continued, "see Maimonides chapter... in this particular version of the text, you will see he quotes the verse as I did".

Story of the Rogatchover Gaon

A story I recently heard of the Rogatchover Gaon:

A certain Rov once came to consult with the Rogatchover and in the course of the conversation a woman entered the room asking the Rogatchover for a bracha, a blessing. The Rogatchover responded by saying he is not in the habit of giving brochos but the woman tearfully persisted in asking. At this point the visiting rabbi interjected, quoting the gemara brochos that teaches " al tihyeh birchos hedyot kalah beinecha", "the blessing of a simple person is not to be taken lightly". "If this is the case," reasoned the rabbi, "then kal v'chomer you the Rogatchover Gaon are capable of giving this women a blessing."

To this the Ragotchover replied, "Why wait for the kal v'chomer?".

(the Rogatchover)

Brisker Maatzos

The Brisker Rov zt'l said of his grandfather the Beis HaLevi;

From the age of nine he began practicing and abiding by his most exacting and stringent standards when baking matzos.

(The Beis HaLevi)

His Father, R'Yizchok Zev, asked, "Why do you insist on these stringencies if even our grandfather R'Chaim did not do so?".

To which the young boy replied, "Our grandfather was well acquainted with the laws of baking matzos and all the intricacies, it was therefore unnecessary for any stringencies. However, I am not as familiar with all the laws and their details and therefore I must be extra stringent."

---------------

(The Brisker Rov)

One year when the B"R was baking matzos in Yerushalayim (and most likely in a similar vein to his grandfather the B"H) he was approached by an individual who wished to share a story of one of the great early Rebbes.

This particular Rebbe would bake matzos with an incredible amount of stringencies and hiddurim. At one such baking there was a simple jew who was baking his matzos together with this Rebbe.

When the simple Jew witnessed the awesome amount of exactitude with which the Rebbe baked his matzos he was overcome with great emotion and pain, as he was unlearned he was unable to bake his matzos as the Rebbe. He walked to the corner of the room and with tears in his eyes uttered a heartfelt prayer, "Ribbono Shel Olam!, Master of the universe! I am a simple man and unable to perform mitzos with the same degree of care as the Rebbe, therefore I ask for siyaata dishmaya, help from above, that my matzos should be both kosher and beautiful..."

The Rebbe overheard the prayer and immediately approached and requested of the simple Jew that they exchange matzos...

The individual finished telling the B"R the story and it was quite evident to all the listeners what this individual was intimating, that prayer creates "better" matzos than exacting standards.

Without the slightest pause or hesitation the B"R responded, "So we see the Jew's prayer was immediately granted... " [ he merited the best matzos, those matzos that the Rebbe baked with exacting standards (quite the contrary of this individual's interpretation)]

This all transpired in the presence of R" Yechezkel Abramsky zt'l, who was so awed by the response and quick-wittedness of the B"R that he would share the story to all those who would visit with him for a number of years.

(Dayan Abramsky)

(Sefer Pninei HaGriz)