The first time Rav Sholom Schwadron came to the home of Rabbi Paysach Krohn’s parents, he brought a huge Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah with him. In the margins of every page of this sefer were notes from his grandfather, the Maharsham. Rav Sholom would spend hours every day working to decipher the comments of the Maharsham, and he eventually wrote a sefer on his grandfather’s comments on the entire Shulchan Aruch, called Daas Torah.
Rav Sholom learned 18 perakim of Mishnayos every day, six perakim before each meal. Many times, before he sat down to eat, Rav Sholom asked Rabbi Krohn and his brothers to say “Muttar lach.” A young Kalman Krohn asked him what he was being matir.
“I couldn’t finish six perakim before the meal,” Rav Sholom said, “so I needed to be matir.”
Rav Sholom would record himself reading mussar sefarim on tapes, and he would cry as he recorded them. Rav Yisroel Grossman traveled with Rav Sholom when he went to America for the first time, and on the way he saw there that Rav Sholom was crying. Rav Yisroel asked why.
Rav Sholom answered, “I’m afraid to go to America.” He was listening to his tear-filled recording of Mesilas Yesharim, fortifying himself against anything that could possibly happen in America.
We know of Rav Sholom as a noted speaker and storyteller, but we have to remember that he was a tremendous talmid chacham and a baki in halacha.
Courtesy of Agudas Yisroel of America
