Parshas Chukas 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Jul 4
- 3 min read
על כן יאמרו המשלים באו חשבון תבנה ותכונן עיר סיחון ... (כא-כז)
There is an unknown story that was told over recently by a well-regarded Talmid Chacham about the Gaon, R’ Yisroel Gustman zt”l, (his yahrzeit was 28 Sivan) who already at the age of 18 was serving as a dayan on the vaunted Vilna Beis Din of R’ Chaim Ozer Grodzenski zt”l. R’ Yisroel became famous over time as one of the leading Torah scholars of that, and later generations, and the sweet “honey-water” of the holy Torah was always seen on his lips. Even as a young boy, a small child well before the age of Bar Mitzvah, he was known for his great hasmadah and shakdanus (perseverance) and did not shy away from Torah study day and night.
R’ Gustman’s father was a merchant who traveled from country to country, and on his way, he would occasionally travel to the holy Chofetz Chaim, R’ Yisroel Meir Hakohen zt”l, in Radin, to consult with him on personal and business questions that arose in his life. On a number of occasions, he wished to take his son along with him to Radin to get a beracha, however, each time his father would suggest that he join him on the trip to Radin, young Yisroel refused, claiming that he was wasting time from his precious learning. “Tatte,” he would say, “In the hours that I travel with you, I can learn so many more dafim of Gemara.” So, his father, of course, did not pressure him.
On one occasion, when his father suggested that he go to the Chofetz Chaim, the boy agreed. The surprised father was interested in what made him change his mind, and the boy replied that he wanted to ask the great Sage a question.
Happily, his father made the arrangements for their trip. When they arrived in Radin, young Yisroel Gustman met the Tzaddik and politely asked if could ask a question. The Sage agreed. Yisroel asked as follows: “I want to study the entire Talmud and know it well. These days, I have come to the chapter ‘Beis Kur,’ in the seventh perek of Maseches Bava Basra. It was here that I came across a long passage of the Rashbam who explains - in a mathematical manner - a certain calculation brought by the Gemara.” The Chofetz Chaim was smiling as the young child was talking.
“Here is my question. Everything I learn in the Gemara has implications for other passages as well, for as we know, Chazal shorten in one place and lengthen in another and therefore everything I learn will repeat itself in Shas other times, and there is the chance that I will remember it better, since I will have learned it several times in various places. However, this particular passage of the Rashbam is not repeated anywhere in Shas (apparently the subject itself is important, but not necessary the calculation, which is a purely mathematical endeavor), and if so, since I will study it only once, I will forget what he says. This being the case, perhaps it is better to skip it entirely in order to learn other things, which I will repeat over and over again throughout the Talmud, directly or indirectly, and thus remember it better?”
The Chofetz Chaim could see that this young child had a brilliant mind and would no doubt take his place among the foremost leaders and tzaddikim of the Jewish people. He answered him thus. “Forgetfulness is not erasure! Everything that enters a person’s mind is fixed there forever and is not erased. Yes, it is true that certain topics which a person repeats all the time are more ‘available’ in his memory, and the things that are not repeated are ‘concealed’ somewhat, or in other words, they enter deeper cells in the brain, which are not used regularly. But know my child, that nothing is erased. Nothing. Nothing. Everything stays in a person’s brain. It will always be there.”
At this point, the holy Chofetz Chaim turned to the boy and concluded, “If you want to know all of Shas, you do have to learn this Rashbam, and don’t worry - even if you don’t repeat his words frequently, or even ever again, know that nothing is erased, and when you reach the upper world after 120 years, they will declare that you learned all the passages of the Rashbam. Suddenly, the words of the Rashbam will also come out of their ‘concealment’ and will be revealed to you in all their radiance, for they were hidden in the brain, but were covered over. This is how they will be revealed.” (Kol Berama)