The Ksav Sofer’s youngest son, R’ Shimon Sofer, known as the Erlauer Rav, was an exceptional tzaddik who fasted for days on end, completely detached from this world. As a young man, he married the daughter of R’ Chaim Shmuel Birnbaum, the youngest son-in-law of R’ Akiva Eiger. R’ Chaim Shmuel, a chassid of Peshischa, was the son of one of the wealthiest Jews in Russia.
Right after R’ Shimon’s marriage, he entered the luxurious home of his father-in-law. R’ Shimon, who was not accustomed to that, felt that this was hindering his growth in ruchniyus. After a half a year, he told his wife that the comfort level was disturbing him from his growth, and that he must move away. His wife was unwilling to forsake her family, to which he concluded that they must divorce. The decision was made, and R’ Shimon returned to his father’s house, leaving her with her family.
R’ Shimon’s wife who at the time was expecting, later married the great gaon, R’ Yitzchok Shmelkis, known as the Beis Yitzchok. The child was raised thinking that he belonged to the Shmelis family, while in truth he was the son of R’ Shimon Sofer, and a grandson of the Chasam Sofer and R’ Akiva Eiger.
At marriageable age, the Beis Yitzchok decided that it was time to tell him about his biological family, and that he was from a very principled family, a grandson of the Chasam Sofer and the Ksav Sofer.
Hearing the news, he traveled to Vienna to seek out his family and inquire about them. Needing somewhere to eat during the lengthy trip, he sought a restaurant to have supper. After ordering food, he sought an empty table to eat at, but there were no empty ones available. Second best, he found a table that had only one fellow sitting there, and so he made his way there, asking if he can join him on his private table. The man was happy to welcome him to his table.
While sitting there, the man asked him his name, and he felt a bit awkward. He told the man that up until just recently, he’d assumed his name was Shmelkis, from the family of the Beis Yitzchok, but he just found out that his real name was Sofer, the son of R’ Shimon Sofer.
The man sitting at the table asked him, “Do you mean to say that you’re the son of my father, R’ Shimon Schreiber, the Michtav Sofer? He identified himself as the son of R’ Shimon. R’ Shimon, however, never revealed to his family that he was previously married and that he’d fathered a son from that first wife.
He sent a telegram to his father, questioning if this man could really be his son. To which his father replied, “I indeed had a son from a previous marriage. Please bring this boy back home to see his family.”
R’ Ephraim Wachsman concludes this story with a story of someone with exalted lineage who was totally unaware of it. “We are the sons of Hashem, as the pasuk says: ‘Banim atem L’Hashem Elokeichem.’ By not being aware of this, we are like this son who hadn’t known of his lineage, and was thus missed out on this nobleness.” (R’ Moshe Weiss from Yerushalayim heard this from the son of R’ Shimon Sofer, who then relayed it to R’ Wachsman)
The Mishnah tells us that Hashem, out of His compassion, informed us that we are His children. The reason for this, explains R’ Leib Chasman, is because without the knowledge, one can have all the money in the world but cannot access it. We, however, the children of Hashem, were informed about this excessive gift, enabling us to access it, appreciate it, and elevate ourself with this unduplicable gem.
