By Shmuel Botnick
A keen understanding of human nature played a role in Rav Nota Greenblatt’s success rate. He once learned of a man who had married and then quickly left town after draining his wife’s financial resources. He did not give her a get.
The man then moved to another large city and did the same thing, though using a different name. Thus, two women were left halachically bound to a man whose whereabouts — and name — were a complete mystery.
Rav Nota shared this story with a few bachurim and then his voice took on a triumphant tone. “I managed to get two gittin out of the guy!” he said proudly.
“Two gittin? But how did you find him?”
Rav Nota explained: “I figured that after he left, he’s likely to move on to another city with a Jewish community and try the same shtick. I also heard that in the previous cities in which he lived, he had served as the gabbai of a shul. I therefore assumed that, wherever his next destination was, he’s likely to be a gabbai there as well.”
Rav Nota smiled. “A gabbai bleibt a gabbai,” he said. “A gabbai remains a gabbai. “Over the next few months, in whichever city I found myself, I would ask, ‘Is there a new gabbai in town?’
“Finally, I asked this question to the rabbi of a certain shul and he said yes! There is a new gabbai in town and, not only that, he is engaged to be married to a woman from the community. The rabbi even told me that he was set to be the mesader kiddushin at their wedding.”
Rav Nota expressed his fears as to who this individual might be and the rabbi arranged a meeting. Sure enough, Rav Nota guessed right. This was the man he had been looking for. Rav Nota prevented the upcoming marriage from happening while simultaneously managing to procure consent to write divorce documents for the two previous wives as well.
Upon completing the story, Rav Nota smiled again. “A gabbai is a gabbai wherever he may be!”
Reprinted from the Parshas Va’eira 5784 email of At the ArtScroll Shabbos Table. Excerpted from the ArtScroll book – “Rav Nota – The Story of Rav Nota Greenblatt” by Shmuel Botnick.
