By Rabbi David Sutton and Dr. David Katzenstein
Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach served as rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Ponevezh in Bnei Brak for close to fifty years. Known for his incredible insight into human nature and spot-on advice, his exemplary character traits were evident in his home life, as well.
“When we talked about getting married,” Rav Shach’s wife once shared with his students, “my husband proposed that we take turns giving in to each other. He’d give in to me during our first disagreement, and I’d give in the next, and so on. In this way, there would be no ill will or hard feelings, since we both knew that things would even out the next time around. After telling me about his idea, my husband said he’d be the first one to give in.”
The students expected to hear that she got the next turn, but she explained, “I never had my chance to be the one to give in. My husband always ‘took my turn.’” Rav Shach always gave in. Every. Single. Time.
Reprinted from the Parshas Lech Lecha 5784 edition of At the ArtScroll Shabbos Table. (Excerpted from the ArtScroll book – The Art of Being You!
