R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld personally embodied what the Beis Yosef writes in the first siman of the Shulchan Aruch regarding the Beis HaMikdash.
In 1920, shortly after the League of Nations gave Great Britain control of Palestine, the British appointed Sir Herbert Samuel — an assimilated Jew — as high commissioner. One of his first official functions was to pay his respects to the country’s prominent rabbis, including a visit to R’ Yosef Chaim in the Old City.
R’ Yosef Chaim lived in a simple basement apartment with no luxuries and not even electricity. R’ Moshe Blau, the leader of Agudas Yisrael who was arranging the meeting, felt that such humble surroundings were not suitable for receiving the high commissioner with proper honor. He suggested that the meeting be held in a more fitting location. R’ Yosef Chaim refused, explaining that it would be deceptive to create the impression that he lived on a higher standard.
R’ Blau then proposed bringing in a new table and chairs to replace the Rav’s rickety furniture. Again, R’ Yosef Chaim refused, saying that this too would be deceptive. Seeing he could not persuade him, R’ Blau arranged for Sir Herbert to visit the basement apartment as is.
A squad of police led the high commissioner’s entourage, and Sir Herbert was personally escorted by the tzaddik Dr. Moshe Wallach, founder and head of Shaare Zedek Hospital. Dozens of people followed as the group wound through the narrow streets of the Old City to the Battei Machseh neighborhood.
R’ Yosef Chaim, wearing his Shabbos clothes as a sign of respect, came forward to greet the representative of the King of England. Sir Herbert descended the steps and, entering the little abode, looked around and asked half-jokingly, “You couldn’t find a lower apartment?”
R’ Yosef Chaim replied, “Please come to the window. I would like to show you something.” From the window, the Kosel HaMaaravi was clearly visible, its small, unpaved area intentionally neglected by the Arabs. Pointing upward, R’ Yosef Chaim said, “If He [Hashem] can live like that, I can live like this.”
Reprinted from the Parshat Mikeitz 5786 edition of At the ArtScroll Shabbos Table. Excerpted from the new ArtScroll book “The Maggid on Tefillah” by Rabbi Paysach Krohn.
