Torah L’Shmah:
Rav Gedaliah of Malin zt”l was a grandson of Rav Aharon of Chernobyl, and he grew up in his grandfather’s court. As his children got older and his expenses increased, he began to worry how he would find the money to marry them off. He approached his grandfather and said, “My children are nearing marriageable age and I don’t have any money. What should I do?”
Rav Aharon replied, “Travel around the country. You will meet many Jews who will honor and support you.”
Rav Gedaliah said modestly, “Why should they honor me? I am not great in Torah or avodah.”
Rav Aharon told him, “Listen to what I am telling you. Our holy ancestor, the Me’or Einayim zy”a, learned Torah l’shmah. He once testified about himself that his learning was l’shmah. He was accustomed to saying over chiddushei Torah, and if he became exhausted from saying the Torah, he would rest his hands on his body and rest for a little while before continuing to say chiddushei Torah. He once saw that the crowd was impressed from his exertion to say his Torah. They were amazed that he could say so much. He said, ‘Don’t be so amazed. I am able to do this because I learn Torah l’shmah and Chazal say (Avos 6:1) that ‘if one learns Torah l’shmah, he merits many things (devarim)...’ This means that he merits the ability to say many ‘devarim’ – many divrei Torah!”
Rav Aharon continued, “The Mishnah (Peah 1:1) says: ‘These are the things that a person eats their fruits in this world and the main part (keren) remains for Olam Haba...and learning Torah is equal to them all.’ Our ancestor spent his life learning Torah l’shmah. One may ask where the fruits were in this world? He lived a life of poverty and suffering! The answer is that he left these fruits for his descendants.”
He turned to his grandson and said, “Even if you don’t believe that you have your own merits, you can rely on the fruits of your ancestor, the Me’or Einyaim.”
