Being that in the halachah section we spoke a lot about the Kosel HaMaravi, and we are currently in the period of Bein Hametzorim I would like to share with you a powerful story I recently saw in R’ Paysach Krohn’s book, titled “From Sorrow to Celebration”:
Until World War I, Palestine (Eretz Yisroel) was part of Turkey’s Ottoman Empire. After the war, the League of Nations put Great Britan in charge of the Holy Land, and in 1920, the British appointed Sir Herbert Samuel, an assimilated Jew, to be High Commissioner of Palestine. One of his first official functions was to pay his respects to the country’s prominent rabbis. His itinerary included a visit to Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, the Chief Rav of Jerusalem, who lived in the Old City.
Rav Yosef Chaim lived in a very simple basement apartment that was not only without luxuries but did not even have electricity. Rabbi Moshe Blau, the administrator of Agudas Yisroel, who was handling the arrangements for the meeting, felt that Rav Yosef Chaim’s apartment was too simple to play host to the distinguished High Commissioner. He therefore asked Rav Yosef Chaim if he would be willing to meet Sir Herbert, the High Commissioner, in a more suitable home. Rav Yosef Chaim refused, saying it would be deceptive to let it appear as though he lived somewhere else. Rabbi Blau countered with another suggestion. Perhaps a new table and chairs could be purchases for Rav Yosef Chaim’s home to replace his rickety furniture? Rav Yosef Chaim refused again, insisting that this, too, would be deceitful. Seeing that Rav Yosef Chaim could not be persuaded to make any change at all, Rav Blau scheduled the appointment for a Wednesday, at midday, at the Rav’s residence in the Old City.
On the appointed day, a squad of police officers escorted the High Commissioner’s entourage, accompanied by Dr. Moshe Wallach, founder of Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Dozens of people followed them. The group wound their way through the maze of the Old City alleys to the Batei Machseh neighborhood. When they arrived, Rav Yosef Chaim, wearing his Yom Tov clothes as a sign of respect, came forward to greet the High Commissioner, the representative of the King of England. Sir Herbert Samuel then descended the steps to Rav Yose Chaim’s apartment. As he walked into the little abode and glanced around, he asked Rav Yosef Chaim, half-jokingly, “You couldn’t find a lower apartment?” Rav Yosef Chaim turned to the sophisticated gentleman and said, “Please come to the window. I would like to show you something.” The two men walked to the window from which the Kosel HaMaaravi was clearly visible in the distance. The Arab’s purposely kept it in disgraceful condition. Rav Yosef Chaim pointed to Heaven and said, “If He [Hashem],” then pointed to the Kosel as he continued, “can live like that, then I can live like this.”
