NO BED FOR TWO YEARS
In his younger years, Rav Eliezer sat and studied together with his older brother, the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz, and their exertion in Torah study was legendary. For two years, the brothers were so engrossed in their studies that they didn’t sleep in a bed. Except for Shabbos, they didn’t even change their clothes from week to week. When they needed a short rest from learning, they simply lay their heads down where they were, while fully dressed – and thus they could use the entire night for Toras Hashem!
SHOLOM BAYIS
Rav Elimelech Biderman shared the following story:
The Damesek Eliezer of Vizhnitz was walking down the street with his gabbai when they passed a jewelry store that had a fine display of watches in the window. Suddenly, the Rebbe stopped, turned around, and returned to the store they had just passed. To the gabbai’s surprise, the Rebbe entered the store and asked the owner to show him the best watches he had available.
“My Rebbetzin is a real maven in watches; she will only want the finest craftsmanship,” the Rebbe stated in a loud, clear voice. The owner of the shop hurried to show the Rebbe a selection of beautiful watches, but the Rebbe shook his head. “No, no, these are no good,” he said, waving them away. “As I explained, the Rebbetzin has impeccably good taste when it comes to watches. Why, I have an idea – why don’t you call over your wife and ask her to help us choose? I am sure she has fine taste in these matters.”
To the gabbai’s growing astonishment, the Rebbe invited the proprietor’s wife to help him select the gift. After several minutes, the Rebbe seemed satisfied; he borrowed some money from the gabbai, paid for the watch, thanked the owner, complimented his wife’s fine taste in watches, and left the store.
As soon as they were out of earshot, the gabbai couldn’t hold back. “Rebbe!” he said, stricken. “Isn’t it beneath your dignity to act in this way – to ask the opinion of the store owner’s wife, and have her help you choose a gift for the Rebbetzin?”
The Rebbe chuckled and, with a gleam in his eye, explained, “When we passed by the shop the first time, I could hear the owner arguing with his wife. He claimed that she had poor taste in watches and jewelry, and even accused her of chasing away customers and ruining their business. I therefore returned to the store and went in to buy a watch so I could specifically request her opinion and praise her good taste.” He turned to his awestruck gabbai and smiled. “Don’t you think their sholom bayis (marital harmony) will improve now that he values his wife’s judgment and opinion? I think that’s certainly worth the price of a good watch, don’t you?”
