There’s a machshava I had this morning that I would like to share with you. First, I want to mention a story that I saw years ago in a sefer. There were two graduates of the Mir Yeshiva – two alter Mirrers. One was Rav Hertzman, and the other was Rav Rogoff. They were both elderly talmedei chachomim. Rav Rogoff was a Rav in Chicago and Rav Hertzman went to visit him. Rav Hertzman was mispollel (greatly inspired) from the zrizus (energized diligence) and excitement of the learning, davening, everything that his friend, Rav Rogoff, was doing. He was like a bochur. He behaved with such excitement and [related to his actions with] hischadshus (refreshing novel approach).
They were both very elderly at the time and Rav Hertzman asked Rav Rogoff, “Where did you get this hischadshus? He replied, “Many, many years ago, before you came to the yeshiva in Europe, I was in a chaburah of the great mashgiach of Mir, Rav Yeruchom (Levovitz) and we would meet at his home once a week and hear a schmooze. One time we were waiting in the great mashgiach’s home for the chabura to begin. It was a beautiful, beautiful spring day.
“All of a sudden Rav Yeruchom came running into the house. He was like a kid. It was a beautiful day in tekufas Nisan. The mashgiach said, ‘I just came from the street and everything is growing! All the trees, the flowers. Everything is growing! So why can’t we? Let’s also grow!’”
Rav Rogoff concluded, “Ever since that day when I saw Rav Yeruchom and heard those words come out of his mouth, I ask myself, many times, even now when I’m older and it’s much harder for me, ‘Everything is growing, so why can’t I? I also want to grow.’”
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Rav Moshe Weinberger Shlit”a is the Rav of Aish Kodesh, Woodmere, NY.
