Shmuel Kamenetsky shlita, was presiding at a wedding as the mesader kiddushin. A certain Rav significantly younger than Rav Shmuel, was called up to read the kesubah. As the Rav concluded, he paused and said, “There’s a mistake in the kesubah!
There was a bit of a commotion under the chupah but the Rav was encouraged to continue. However, he adamantly refused to continue, claiming that the kesubah was passul. People turned to Rav Shmuel for some direction. Rav Shmuel just shrugged his shoulders, which was interpreted to mean,“Nu, if the Rav says it’s passul, then write a new one.” Indeed, the chupah was delayed as they wrote a brand new kesubah.
After the chupah concluded, Rabbi Kleinman, who was at the chupah, approached Rav Shmuel and asked him, “Was it really passul?”Rav Shmuel smiled and said, “Of course not!” “So why did the Rosh Yeshiva allow the chuppah to be delayed for that?!”Rav Shmuel explained, “Better that people think I concurred that there was actually a mistake than to have the other Rav feel embarrassed for making a scene under the chupah for no reason.”
Reprinted from the Parshat Korach 5785 email of Chayeinu Weekly. (Stories compiled by Tzvi Schultz.)
