The Chazon Ish of blessed memory would go out every day for a set amount of time as needed for his health. He would usually go for a walk with one of the guys who was close to him, or one of the family members. Many times, the Gaon Rabbi Ben Zion Felman zt"l had the privilege of accompanying him on this walk, when almost every day the Rabbi would descend from the yeshiva to the Beit Chazon to ask him his doubts and questions about the sugya.
Once, the Rabbi tells of a question he asked the Chazon while he was walking with him. The Chazon went on a walk, and he then found the right time to consult with him on the following topic:
In the home of the Rav Tzvi's parents, Rabbi Shmuel Felman zt"l, the rabbi of the "Hechal Meir" neighborhood in Tel Aviv, his father's mother lived in her old age. Naturally, the bond between the grandmother and the grandchildren, who lived with her, was very strong, and the grandmother greatly enjoyed the company of her grandson and granddaughters. At a certain time, the grandmother did not feel well and had to be hospitalized for her treatment. The family made sure to stay by her side and help her get through the recovery days easily and quickly. The Rav Tzvi, who was already at that time in the yeshiva, would come from time to time for a short visit to rejoice and ask for her well-being, and immediately he would return to the yeshiva for his Torah and his work. The grandmother, who had a lot of fun when her grandson came to her, asked him again and again to come more often, and for a longer time. On the one hand, he is now a yeshiva student, and his job is to study at all times. If he goes to visit his grandmother a lot, he will not be able to sit and study all day; he will need a lot of time to be with her, as she wants. And on the other hand, perhaps now it is his role to make the grandmother happy with her illness, and this is like a mitzva that cannot be performed by others, and he must go to visit her even if it comes at the expense of his studies. And on the other hand, he wasn't the only one in the family who stayed with her. The family members were always next to her, and who says that this is considered a mitzvah that cannot be performed by others, since others already perform this mitzvah. However, the grandmother asks that he come, and perhaps he is not obligated to cancel his studies for this. All this doubt, with all its aspects, was addressed by the Rabbi Tzvi before the Chazon Ish, at this time when he accompanied him on his regular walk. Now he waited to hear the words of the poskim of the generation, what he should do at this time and in this situation.
The Chazon Ish listened to the whole question with great attention, and not only listened, but as he walked, he continued to demand and interrogate the young man in all the details and details, "Why does she want him to stay with her? Isn't it good for her when others are staying with her?", when he receives detailed answers about everything, until the whole picture is clear to him on all sides. And then the Chazon Ish continues to walk for a few minutes in silence, thinking and considering what to do, and what to advise on this question. After a few minutes, the Chazon Ish said, "Go to her visit and stay with her as long as she wants, and you will know that you are not only fulfilling the mitzvah of chesed and visiting the sick, but also the mitzvah of Talmud Torah!" The Rav Tzvi hears the answer and wonders what mitzva of Torah study he fulfills in this way? After all, when he goes there, he will not be able to study as he is currently studying in a yeshiva, and he immediately asks the Chazon Ish in astonishment, "How can I fulfill the mitzva of Torah study with this?" The Chazon Ish, who was already ready for this question, answered and said, "I know that you are persistent and toiling in the Torah, and why are you working so hard in the Torah? In order to merit acquiring the Torah, so that the Torah will be with you, but in truth, how is it possible for a person to have a connection with the Torah? The Torah is a delicacy, and to merit reaching such an aspect of "Your Torah is in you ." The Torah is a spiritual reality, whereas man is a corporeal creature, and these are two things that do not connect. The answer to this is this rule: "The Torah only adheres to a gentle soul." To merit the Torah adhering to you, you must buy "gentleness of soul," which is the receptacle that can receive the Torah, and through which one is rewarded with connecting to the Torah. And how do you acquire gentleness? Through kindness, renunciation, and all the good qualities. When a person gives up his desires for the sake of others, He is privileged to acquire gentleness in his soul, and by virtue of it he is rewarded with having the Torah adhere to him." Now the Chazon Ish continued with his holy words and said, "You don't have to close the Gemara to look for a place to do kindness, but when you have the opportunity to do kindness and give up your desires, then this is the time when you create for yourself in your soul a property of gentleness, which is the receptacle of the Torah. And now when you have the opportunity to do chesed in such a way that it is impossible to do it by others, because the grandmother enjoys it precisely when you are near her, then you will know that every moment that you spend with her, and every medicine you give her, and every providence that you supervise her for her healing, you are doing an act of Torah. Because you create delicacy in your soul, and this delicacy causes a better connection to the holiness of the Torah that can adhere to your soul. Therefore, it is not only considered that you are fulfilling the mitzva of acts of kindness, but also the mitzva of Torah study, that you are engaged in the activity of Torah."
