Rav Chaim of Brisk
Rav Chaim of Brisk, known as the Gaon of Brisk, was renowned for his compassion.
One day during the reign of Czar Nicholas II of Russia, a young Jewish man was arrested and accused of committing a heinous and revolutionary act, punishable by death. His distraught mother came running to Rav Chaim, crying and imploring him to use his influence on a high official whom he knew, and intervene on behalf of her son. Rav Chaim promised to do whatever was in his power to help free the prisoner.
The Gaon discussed this matter with some of his close associates, who begged him not to get involved. “Don’t endanger your own life by trying to defend this criminal!” they pleaded.
Rav Chaim remained stubborn in his determination. “Let’s examine the facts,” he said. “Pidyon shebuyim (redeeming captives) is definitely a great misvah. That is one fact. That this heartbroken mother is suffering terribly is also a definite fact. But your fears that I might endanger myself by getting involved is only a hypothesis. The Gemara teaches us (Pesahim 9a) that something which is in doubt cannot take precedence over the definite. And all the more so when there are two existing facts...”
Rav Chaim succeeded in freeing the youngster. (Glimpses of Greatness)
Reprinted from the Parashat Re’eh 5782 email of Rabbi David Bibi’s Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace.
