By Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Sonnenfeld
R’ Shleimke was already in the Bialystoker succah, sitting at the table with Yakov Yosef. R’ Binyamin [the father of Yakov Yosef] was a great talmid chochom, and had a keen sense. He immediately noted the rough and calloused hands of R’ Gershon, guessing that he was a mere laborer.
He turned to R’ Shleimke with a look of concern, expecting an explanation. Could it be that R’ Shleimke was suggesting that Yakov Yosef marry the daughter of a mere laborer? She seemed exceptionally modest and refined, but still... the daughter of a laborer?
R’ Shleimke conveniently avoided looking at R’ Binyamin, and quickly suggested that the men sit at a small table in one corner of the succah and the women go to the other side. R’ Binyamin minced no words and came straight to the point. “R’ Gershon, I see from your hands that you are a working man. What type of work do you do?”
R’ Gershon replied that he was a carpenter. It was apparent from R’ Binyamin’s facial expression that he was not pleased. Before he could voice his objection to the proposed shidduch, his son, Yakov Yosef, suddenly spoke up and asked, “Aren’t you the carpenter that I saw building old R’ Meir’s succah?”
R’ Gershon replied, “Yes, I finished R’ Meir’s succah two days ago.” Yakov Yosef turned to his father excitedly, “Do you know who this man is? This is R’ Gershon the carpenter, the one who goes around before every Succos and helps the old and the sick build their succos for free!”
It was completely out of line and unacceptable for a prospective young man to speak out during a conversation between his father and his potential future father-in-law. R’ Binyamin Beinish realized, however, that if his son had done so, it was of significance.
An Honest Workman – But Still a Mere Workman
R’ Binyamin Beinish had heard of R’ Gershon, the carpenter – an honest workman who built others’ succos for free. Nonetheless, R’ Gershon was still a mere carpenter and this was a question of his son’s marriage! R’ Binyamin then asked R’ Gershon why, if he was not so rich, did he squander the most profitable time by building succos for free. Wouldn’t it be more practical, he said, to charge for building succos?
R’ Gershon agreed, however, he stated that the most practical thing a Jew could do is the will of Hashem. R’ Binyamin was beginning to realize that he had been wrong to judge this simple-looking carpenter so quickly. This was no ordinary carpenter and no ordinary Jew.
They then launched into a discussion of a particularly difficult section of Gemara. All the men participated, however, soon R’ Shleimke – who was not particularly learned – dropped out of the discussion. As the discussion became more complex, R’ Gershon also fell silent. When R’ Binyamin and his son finally concluded the discussion between themselves, R’ Binyamin apologized to R’ Gershon, “I’m sorry, R’ Gershon. My son and I got carried away. I shouldn’t have expected that someone who does not have the time to sit and learn all day could follow the discussion.”
Offers His Thoughts on the Talmudical Difficulty
R’ Gershon replied, “I followed the discussion quite well. It is a particularly difficult passage and both you and your son have obviously learned it many times and struggled with it for many hours. I do not pretend to be a talmid chochom, but since you have mistaken my silence for ignorance, perhaps you will allow me to offer my thoughts on the points which you seem to have trouble with.”
R’ Binyamin was pleasantly surprised to hear R’ Gershon offer a clear and concise summary of the problem which arose in the Talmudic discussion. He then told R’ Gershon, “I will have to talk with my wife before making a decision. But as far as I’m concerned, you would be doing us a great kindness and honor if you allow our Yakov Yosef to marry your Rivka.”
He then turned to his son and said, “My son, you should know that if R’ Gershon agrees to my request, you will be marrying into one of the finest families in all of Yerushalayim.” R’ Gershon was embarrassed into silence. The women soon came over, and R’ Binyamin’s wife had nothing but praise for Rivka.
The next day, scores of talmidei chachomim came to visit R’ Gershon in his succah to wish him Mazel Tov on the engagement of his daughter to the son of R’ Binyamin Beinish Bialystoker. It was not long before Rivka stood under the chuppah and became the wife of R’ Yakov Yosef, one of the most brilliant young talmidei chachomim in all of Yerushalayim.
The Reward for Building Sukkos for Free
The shidduch came about because R’ Binyamin Beinish’s son suffered a broken engagement and was in a position to accept an offer he would ordinarily have refused; and because of R’ Gershon’s extraordinary chessed in building succos free of charge for the sick and elderly, which Yakov Yosef pointed out when he recognized R’ Gershon as the one who built old R’ Meir’s succah. And, of course, R’ Shleimke [the shadchan’s] pressing need for funds to purchase his sukkos needs.... (Jerusalem Gems)
Reprinted from the Parshas Va’eira 5784 email of The Weekly Vort.
