Twelve-year-old Shlomo was part of a group of boys who originated from Iran, and were thus called yoldei Tehran, children from Iran. Many of these children were pulled away from their parents, while others’ parents were cruelly murdered.
When Shlomo arrived in Eretz Yisrael, he attended yeshiva but had a very hard time understanding what they were learning. The yeshiva set up for him special tutors to give him extra assistance. He put in his best efforts, yet his learning just wasn’t up to par with the rest of the class.
At the end of the school year, the school planned to bring the boys to be tested by the Chazon Ish. Adrenalized, the boys took their extra time to review the material before getting tested. For Shlomo, this was a nightmare. Even with all the time he put in, he was convinced that he wouldn’t be able to answer any of the questions the Chazon Ish might ask him.
Aware of Shlomo’s weakness in learning, the hanhalah of his yeshiva decided to preempt the Chazon Ish and inform him about Shlomo. When push came to shove, though, they were so busy with all the logistics that they didn’t get around to it. Only when the class was already at the Chazon Ish’s house did they remember, and by then it was too late. Had they told him then, it would be too obvious and embarrassing for Shlomo.
As the Chazon Ish went from boy to boy, asking them questions from the Gemara they’d been learning, he was stunned at how well they knew the material. Every boy answered well until Shlomo. The Chazon Ish asked Shlomo a question, but he was stumped. Their rebbi tried hinting to the Chazon Ish to proceed to the next boy, but before moving on, the Chazon Ish answered the question for him.
Then, the Chazon Ish requested from Shlomo to get a Gemara Kiddushin. Embarrassed and humiliated, Shlomo wanted to bury himself alive. He thought his torture would end when the Chazon Ish answered the question, but now he wanted a Gemara! He braced himself for the heavy mussar the Chazon Ish would give him for not knowing the material.
The Chazon Ish took the Gemara from him, opened to daf lamed amud beis, and started reading: “Torah is compared to sam, a medication.” The Chazon Ish continued to explain the Gemara with sweetness: “Bnei, barasi yetzer hara barasi Torah taovlin – My son, I’ve created yetzer hara, and I’ve created the Torah as a medicine. Through learning, you can overcome the yetzer hara.”
He then asked Shlomo if he understood the Gemara. Shlomo confirmed that he understood it. The Chazon Ish then asked if he could repeat it, and Shlomo repeated the Gemara, with all the details that he heard from the Chazon Ish, to the entire class.
“I see a gaon olam growing here,” replied the Chazon Ish. “This boy never learned this Gemara before; it’s a totally strange mesechta to him. Still, after the first time learning it, he’s able to teach it to the class. Wow! Cheilach l’Oraisa – your power should be used for Torah. We must be careful with this boy, he has special kochos – strength! You saw what type of shiur he gave after learning this Gemara for the very first time!”
The Chazon Ish went on to mechazek Shlomo more, before going on to finish testing the remaining boys.
After they left, R’ Rosenstein, the principal of the yeshiva, noted to the other rabbeim that beside for getting the boys tested by the Chazon Ish, they also got a good lesson in how to input geshmak into the boys, especially challenging ones, to motivate them to want to learn.
Pride
Fast-forward some years...
On Simchas Torah in the Ponovezh Yeshiva, they auction off the honor of Atah Horeisa. The boy with the highest bid wins the chance to call out Atah Horeisa. One year, R’ Rosenstein was there for Simchas Torah. He was shocked at the bidding, which wasn’t for money but for blatt Gemara that the winner had to complete by the coming Pesach. The bidding started at one hundred blatt, but quickly rose. Two hundred...three hundred... At that point, only the serious masmidim are still in the running. As they got to five hundred blatt, the auctioneer call out, “five hundred going once... Five hundred going twice... Five-hundred sold! Mazal tov to the bachur Shlomo! Mazal tov Shlomo the Masmid!”
R’ Rosenstein looked to see who “Shlomo the Masmid” was, and lo and behold, it was none other than the Iranian boy from his very own yeshiva. Overfilled with joy, R’ Rosenstein approached Shlomo, wishing him mazal tov on this milestone. Proud of his milestone, Shlomo assured his former principal that the words of the Chazon Ish were the words that ensured him with the power of growth, and B”H his learning was flourishing and producing.
The Chazon Ish knew how to deliver uplifting chizuk that would allow a boy with much potential to bring out his best! (Heard from R’ Avraham Shutland, shlita, as repeated from R’ Aharon Toiseg)
We meet many people, every day. Every person that we encounter is another opportunity to give a good word or some encouragement. With the slightest encouragement, we can transform a person’s life and give them hope and strength. What a wonderful opportunity we have!
