The Rav of Antwerp, Rav Chaim Kreizwirth, zt”l, who later became and a world-famous gadol and talmid chacham, was already a Rosh yeshiva in Warsaw and Krakow as a bachur at only eighteen years old! Though he was one of the roshei yeshiva, he still slept in the yeshiva building - nonetheless, of course, he had his own room.
Once, he heard that there was a bachur from a small town who was coming to Warsaw for a few days to get special medical treatments by a local renowned doctor. The bachur’s name was Yossel, and he was unfortunately blind. He was a very special bachur, who had memorized many Mishnayos ba’al peh and would constantly review them to himself—so much so that he was known to his friends as “Yossele Mishnah.” Rav Chaim, out of his kindheartedness, decided that he would go to the train station to greet this special bachur and help him get to the place where he was staying.
Rav Chaim waited at the station, and when Yossele finally arrived, it was revealed that somehow there’d been a mix-up, and no sleeping arrangements had been made for Yossele. Rav Chaim immediately said, “I know of an extra bed!” Rav Chaim walked him to his very own room and led Yossele to his very own bed. “Here is a bed for you!” Rav Chaim set up for himself a place to sleep on the floor on the other side of the room.
As it turned out, the doctor began a series of treatments that ended up taking a few months. During Yossele’s entire stay, Rav Chaim happily kept Yossele in his room while he himself slept on the floor. No matter how much the talmidim of the yeshiva tried convincing Rav Chaim to have Yossele sleep elsewhere so that he, the rosh yeshiva, could sleep in a bed, nothing worked to make Rav Chaim give up this special mitzvah.
After a few months, Yossele finally returned to his hometown, and life got back to normal—though not for long. One day, a group of Nazi soldiers came and entered the Beis midrash! It was known that when they did so, they would take away the rabbanim and roshei yeshiva or even kill them, without warning.
Everyone froze. The panic and terror was palpable.
The leader pulled out a paper and began calling out several names. Those who were called were commanded to go outside. The names of a few of the rabbeim were called out.
Then Rav Chaim heard the Nazi say, “Kreizvert!”
With trepidation and unease, he stepped outside. A Nazi motioned him to the side of the building, indicating him to stand against the wall. As he stood there, another Nazi walked up and lifted his gun, aiming directly at Rav Chaim. Rav Chaim began to say Shema, and daven with all his heart. “Hashem,” he whispered, “in the z’chus of all the Torah I’ve learned with such hasmadah...”
The Nazi raised the gun to his eye. “Hashem,” continued Rav Chaim, “in the z’chus of all the many talmidim to whom I’ve taught Torah with such dedication...”
The Nazi’s finger slid onto the trigger. “Hashem,” pleaded Rav Chaim silently, “in the z’chus of Yossele Mishnah, and all I did for him...”
At that very moment, the soldier slid his gun down, and quickly said, “Jew! You’re a handsome young man. I’d hate to kill you for nothing. I will shoot the gun and miss you purposely. As soon as you hear the shot, run to those woods as fast as you can! I will need to shoot after you, so it will appear as if you ran away, but I will miss you. No matter what happens, keep running! If the others follow you, they will surely kill you!”
A shot rang out, and Rav Chaim felt a bullet whiz by him and hit the wall. He began to run and run through the woods, as shots rang out around him, and angry cries echoed through the trees. He kept running until it got dark.
Eventually, he survived the war, and went on to live for many more years, becoming a Gadol Hador. He would always say that he was certain that it was in the z’chus of his kindness to Yossele Mishnah that his life was saved.
Every mitzvah has great value. Whether it comes easy or hard, Hashem values it, and stores away immense reward for us. But when it comes with a struggle, and it’s not natural, its value is so much greater. The fact that R’ Chaim was saved by the z’chus that came when he went out of his comfort zone shows how the struggle makes it so much more valued and cherished.
