The son in law of the Shomer Emunim [R’ Ahron Roth Zatzal] was a big Tzaddik. His name was R’ Avraham Yitzchok Kohn Zatzal. His grandson is a Rosh Kollel, and was a guest in my house; he told me a story. When his grandfather had to walk the streets of Yerushalayim, he had different routes to get to his destination. He Davka used to take the route that made him pass by a shul where his antagonists were located. Every time he passed by, they yelled at him and made fun of him. He had simcha from Bizayon, and was looking for it!
His grandson told me another story about R’ Ahron Leib Steinman Zatzal. He was also passing by a shul, where standing outside were some bachurim who were screaming at him and making fun of him. His Gabo'im wanted to disperse this unruly crowd, who were devoid of Derech Eretz for a Gadol B'yisroel. R’ Ahron Leib stopped them, and said: Let the boys enjoy themselves. They appear to have pleasure in making fun of me; let them continue.
This sounds just like Shim'i ben Gera and Dovid HaMelech. When Shim'i was cursing Dovid and throwing stones at him, not only did Dovid not kill him, but he said: לֵלַּקיִו וֹל וּחִנַּה שמואל ב, טז יא let him continue cursing! R’ Wozner Zatzal had tremendous respect for R’ Ahron Leib, especially for his purity in Middos. ְבּ ִכּ וֹסי ְבּכּ וֹ וֹס וּ ְב ַכּ ֲﬠסוֹ no Ka'as, no love for money etc. We see how a person works on his Middos by not caring about Bizayon; and even having Simcha in Bizayon! Like the Chovos Halvavos says in Shaar HaBitachon: ְו ָכ ֲא ל ֶשׁ ר ְיבוֹ ֶאנוּ ֵמ ֵא ָה ת ֱא ˄ ִק ִי םי ְה ֶיה לוֹ ְל ָשׂ שׂוֹן וּ ְל ִשׂ ְמ ָחה הקדמה, והשני
