It was late at night, long after most people were asleep. A group of bochurim were sitting around the dormitory joking and wasting time. Someone suggested that they make some prank phone calls to some rabanim. Different names of Rebbeim were mentioned, and finally one boy said, “Call Rav Moshe Feinstein!”
Everyone laughed. One bachur picked up the phone and dialed, and the phone rang in the home of Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, the Gadol HaDor. After several rings, Rebbetzin Feinstein answered. The boy said that he had an urgent halachic question and needed to speak to Rav Moshe.
Believing that it might be important, she woke her husband and handed him the phone. Rav Moshe had been asleep. Rav Moshe came to the phone and softly said, “Yes, how can I help you?”
The boys around the phone were barely containing their laughter. Then the caller asked his question. “Rebbe, what Brachah do you make on watermelon pits?” It was a ridiculous question. It was a prank that was meant to get a reaction.
Rav Moshe immediately understood what was happening. He could have hung up the phone, or he could have rebuked the boy and told him not to call again. But instead, Rav Moshe gently asked, “What is your name?”
The room became quiet, and the boy answered. Rav Moshe continued, “Where do you learn?” and the boy told him. “What are you learning now?”
The boy named the Masechta. There was a short pause. Then Rav Moshe said, “Let’s learn together.” For the next long stretch of the night, Rav Moshe patiently learned with him, explaining the Gemara, step by step.
When the boy didn’t understand, Rav Moshe explained it again. And again. Until it became clear. Before hanging up, Rav Moshe gave him a strong question to ask his Rebbi the next day.
The next morning in Shiur, the boy asked this question. His Rebbi looked at him in surprise. It wasn't like him to ask questions, and certainly not deep questions like this. The Rebbe asked him, “Where did you get that question from?” After some hesitation, the boy answered, “From Rav Moshe Feinstein.”
What began as a prank call became a turning point in this boy’s life. Instead of reacting with anger after being woken in the middle of the night, Rav Moshe chose to build a bachur, instead of breaking him. A foolish question about watermelon pits turned into a night of Torah, and a lesson in what true greatness looks like!
Reprinted from the Parshas Vayeira 5787 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’Tefilah.