The Aderes writes, “It was on Leil Shishi (Thursday night) that I left Bialystok for Warsaw to travel to see the Gaon the Netziv, who was very fond of me, though I had not yet ever met him. I arrived Erev Shabbos after having traveled all night long. After davening and eating breakfast, I asked my mechutan to accompany me to meet the Gaon the Netziv, and we found him sitting in the company of Dr. Rottenberg and Rav Kasavski. Rav Kasavski introduced me to the Netziv as the son-in-law of Rav Leib Chazan. Then the Netziv realized who I must be and he called out, “This must be then the Rav of Ponevezh, Rav Eliyohu Dovid!” They replied in the affirmative.
He then quickly stood up fully and with trembling he recited the full berocha with Shem Umalchus of Shehecheyonu vekiymonu vehigi’onu lazman hazeh! Since I did not sit without his leave, he continued standing on his feet and his wife the Rebbetzin berated him for standing while sick. He answered her back, “Don’t you see that he is standing? How can I sit while he stands?”
And so I asked leave to sit and was granted, and we both sat down. Everyone present was amazed at his love for Torah and those who engage in its study and that he pronounced the berocha of Shehecheyonu over me with Shem Umalchus. As long as I was in Warsaw over the next two weeks, I visited the Netziv daily and we delighted in discussing topics of Torah. I highlighted some ideas and remarked on some of his chiddushim and points of his Torah commentary, which he was editing to reprint, and he showed his writings on Shas and some of his responsa in Halocha.” (Seder Eliyohu p. 84)
