Published May 01, 2009
R’ Mordechai Bennet was already an old man when he met the Chasam Sofer at a summer resort. While they were there, R’ Mordechai received an urgent letter regarding a woman who was an aguna - a woman abandoned by her husband - and without a divorce or proof of his death, she could not remarry. New evidence had been found which might permit her to remarry. R’ Mordechai was asked to review the case and offer his opinion of it.
Turning to the Chasam Sofer, R’ Mordechai said to him, “I am really old and not well, but this matter is an urgent one. Could you review the halacha and answer the writer?”
“Rebbe,” said the Chasam Sofer, “while I would be happy to do so, I have absolutely no sefarim here with me. At the very least, I would need to have the Tur with the Beis Yosef’s commentary on Even Ha’ezer Section 17, which discusses the entire question at great length.”
(That particular section is one of he longest in the entire Tur.)
“Oh, is that your problem?” said R’ Mordechai. “Please take a pen and paper and start writing.” He then dictated the entire section, word for word, from memory. When the Chasam Sofer finished writing, R’ Mordechai told him,” Now you have all that you need to be able to answer the letter.”
R’ Pinchas, the Rav of Frankfurt, was once asked: “Is it true, Rebbe, that when you were younger you traveled to the Maggid of Mezeritch, the famous Chassidic leader?”
“That is true,” replied R’ Pinchas. “How is it that a person such as you did such a thing without investigating first?” the man persisted.
“You are absolutely right,” said R’ Pinchas, “and I am indeed to blame. Had I investigated first about the greatness of the Maggid, I would have walked the entire distance to see him, rather than traveling by carriage.”
Shmuel Himelstein has written a wonderful series for ArtScroll: Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit; A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit; and “Wisdom and Wit” - available at your local Jewish bookstore (or should be). Excerpted with permission
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