Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, was known for his tremendous humility. His sister was once asked, “What makes your brother so special?” She responded, “What makes my brother special is that he never looks at himself as being so special.”
However, Rav Moshe’s humility was not from any weakness. When necessary, he could be firm and strong, if that course of action was needed.
Once, when Rav Moshe was deciding a Halachic argument between two individuals, he caught someone offering testimony that was clearly lies. Rav Moshe reprimanded the man and asked him to leave the room.
Another time, Rav Moshe stated a Halachah that one of the litigants did not agree with. The man even had the Chutzpah to accuse Rav Moshe of creating a false Halachah in order to finish up with the case.
Rav Moshe stood up and looked at this individual and exclaimed, “My name is Moshe Feinstein. True, I do not know how to learn, but go out in the streets and ask if I am a liar!”
In another case, Rav Moshe decided that a certain woman could be released from her Agunah status, and she was free to get married. Some Rabbanim who were involved in the case disagreed with Rav Moshe, and kept bringing arguments as to why he could not rule as he did.
When it reached a certain point, Rav Moshe raised his hand and quieted the opponents. He said, “I am the Gadol HaDor, and the Halachah is like I have said it is!” And that was the end of the arguing!
Rav Moshe was full of humility, but he knew his place and position in Klal Yisroel, and that is not Ga’avah!
Reprinted from the Parshas Ki Savo 5783 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’Tefilah.
