I would like to share something that was said at the funeral of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, ztz’l.
A Gadol’s time is extremely, extremely valuable. They appreciate every minute, and Rav Chaim especially .
He used to wish people “Beracha VHatzlacha”/Blessings and success, until, at certain time, he switched to, “BuHa,” an acronym for Beracha V’Hatzlacha, in order to save a few extra seconds of time. So obviously, time was extremely valuable to him.
Once, after one of his children’s weddings, he said he had to leave right after the Sheva Berachot. His Mechutan/ new in-law, asked him where he was going. He explained that he had to take care of his Hovot/Obligations, which is an expression that is usually used for monetary obligations. The man was shocked. On the night of the wedding, he had to go raising money? He later found out that what Rav Chaim really meant was his learning obligations. He had a certain amount that he learned every single day, and being that he had to go to his child’s wedding, he was behind on his learning. He had to fulfill his Hovot. He had to learn his seven pages of Gemara, and all of his other obligations, and he wouldn’t go to sleep until he had completed all of his responsibilities.
Time is extremely extremely valuable to an Adam Gadol like that, and yet Rav Chaim spent a tremendous amount of his time answering people’s questions. And this goes back for years and years. I remember when I was in Yeshiva, 40 years ago, I was first introduced to Rav Chaim Kanievsky, not just physically, but I was introduced to his gadlut. A fellow member of my Yeshiva showed me a postcard that he’d received from this rabbi, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, the son of the Steipler. He was 54 years old then, and not yet well known.
He told me that you could send the Rabbi any question you wanted, with a self-addressed postcard, and he would answer.
His question was, What was the sign/letter that Hashem put on Kayin?
Rav Chaim answered that it was the letter Vav and he directed him to a certain page in the Zohar.
Rav Chaim answered these questions, without taking out any books, and he did this for years. Sometimes the questions were silly. And this was Rav Chaim, who didn’t like to waste time. One of his family members once asked him why he did this, because sometimes it looked like the person didn’t even understand the question he was asking. But Rav Chaim explained that when someone sent him a question and got an answer from him, they’d get inspired and motivated. He wanted to give people hizuk. That’s the Avahat Yisrael of an Adam Gadol.
As precious as his time was, he gave of his time. He also had set times that people knew they could visit his home. It was a public thoroughfare.
Why? To give people hizuk. To give people inspiration and motivation.
That is the ultimate Ahavat Yisrael- to give of yourself. Not just your physical self, but to give even of your spiritual self. He could have been learning more in that time, or growing more. But he used his precious time in order to give hizuk to young boys and children. He took out time to give them motivation and inspiration.
That’s an Adam Gadol.
Have a wonderful day.