He took the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah, volume 1 from his own home, held it in one hand, took my hand with the other while I carried the chicken, and set off together.
We walked through Yerushalayim’s ancient, sacred streets until we arrived at Rav Reisman’s home. There, the two Torah giants deliberated over the halachic intricacies with mutual love and profound respect.
At one point, a question arose, requiring clarification from the shochet. I heard Rav David say to Rav Reisman: “It would not be proper to send the child alone to the shochet’s house—he is still just a boy. I will inquire and return promptly with the answer so we can issue a ruling.”
Rav Dovid spared no effort, making every sacrifice with devotion and care, even for the halachic question of a young child. He did not consider his honor or convenience, nor did it occur to him to delegate the task to someone else or to summon the shochet to his home. Instead, he personally undertook every effort without hesitation or pretense.
Such was the humility and greatness of Rav David Jungreis, the embodiment of embodied devotion, chesed, and unparalleled self-effacement.
I stood on the side, embarrassed and full of shame. How much longer could we trouble the Rav over our chicken? But, by great fortune, just as Rav David was about to leave for the shochet’s house, my father zt”l, appeared. Concerned about how long I had been gone and why I had not yet returned with the chicken, he had come to look for me at Rav David’s home. Upon arriving, the rebbetzin informed him that the Rav had left with the child to go to the Batei Warsaw neighborhood to Rav Yisrael Yitzchak’s home. Thus, guided by Heaven, my father arrived just as Rav David stood ready to accompany me to the shochet’s house.
Naturally, my father immediately grasped the situation and resolved everything in the most proper way, sparing the esteemed rabbanim further inconvenience.
Imagine this scene: an important rav of the kehillah, an outstanding and extraordinary gaon, personally dedicating two full hours of his time to address the question of a young child—and also refusing to rely solely on his own vast and holy knowledge to render a decision.
This is the greatness of humility! As the holy Zohar (Shelach; 3:168) testifies: “Blessed is the one who makes themselves small in this world, for they will be great and exalted in the World to Come. Thus the head of the mesivta opened the discussion: He who is small (in his own eyes) is truly great, and he who is great (in his own eyes) is truly small.”
