Rabbi Chaim Kreiswerth zt"l
Rabbi of Antwerp
Rosh Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah
16 Teves 5762 (2002)
Although Rav Kreiswerth lived in Antwerp, he would regularly visit his Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah in Yerushalaim.
There was a bachur who had the honor of driving the Rav from the airport to the Yeshiva. He realized that he could use the opportunity to speak in learning with the Rav.
He would prepare himself some topics to discuss with the Rav.
On one occasion he asked Rav Kreiswerth a question on a particular Tosfos. Rav Kreiswerth was quiet for a few minutes then replied that it was a very good question.
When he arrived at the Yeshiva he gave a Shiur. In the course of the Shiur he mentioned the question his driver had asked. He then went on and told over what happened when he was a young man in Vilna and was bothered by the same question.
The Rav told over, "I learned the Gemara and had difficulty understanding the Tosfos. I learned the Tosfos over and over but still couldn't understand. I decided to learn the Tosfos one hundred and one times and surely then I will understand it. I spent a whole day and part of the night reviewing the Tosfos until I had learned one hundred and one times. But I still never understood. I didn't know what to do. So I decided to go to the cemetery and daven by the grave of the Vilna Gaon. So I went to the cemetery and cried bitterly to Hashem by the grave of the Vilna Gaon that I merit to understand the Tosfos. Out of sheer exhaustion from studying so many hours, I fell asleep at his grave. I woke up in the morning and it took me a few moments to realize where I was and what had happened. I started reviewing the Tosfos again and suddenly I understood the Tosfos properly."
Rav Kreiswerth was a tremendous Talmid Chacham who knew Shas by heart.
Even so, he commented that there were Gemaras that he had more clarity on and remembered them better. After checking it out, he realized that theses Gemaras that he knew better were the ones he had learned during difficult times with Mesirus Nefesh.
In the merit of the Mesirus Nefesh he merited to remember them better.
But he added that not only did he know these Gemaras better, his children also knew these Gemaras better. He explained that Chazal tell us that Mitzvos Klal Yisrael did with Mesirus Nefesh had an extra impact on the future generations. Therefore he felt that the Torah he learned with Mesirus Nefesh gave a power for his children to know these Gemaras better as well.
When Rav Kreiswerth was a young Rav, shortly after he became Rav in Antwerp, Belgium, he traveled to Paris, France to visit Rav Itzikel Gevirtzman, the Peshervorsk Rebbe and receive his blessing.
Rav Itzikel, as he was fondly known as, asked Rav Kreiswerth to join him and help him fundraising for a special Tzadaka he was then involved with.
Rav Kreiswerth was taken aback and tried to get out of going around. He claimed that he had no experience in fundraising. But Rav Itzikel begged him until he agreed.
A few days later Rav Itzikel told him, "do you think it is enough to serve Hashem only with your head (through learning all the time). A person has to use his legs for serving Hashem too, otherwise you will enter Gan Eden bare foot!"
This comment had a profound impact on the young Rav, who later raised huge sums of money for orphans and Hachnosas Kallah.
There was another incident that convinced him to spend time raising millions of dollars for Hachnasas Kallah.
Rav Kreiswerth was sick and visited the Steipler, Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky Zt”l (father of Rav Chaim Kanievsky Zt”l) for a Beracha for a speedy recovery.
The Steipler quoted the first Mishna in Pe’ah which we say every morning after Birchas Hatorah. In davening we add Bikur Cholim – visiting the sick, Hachnasos Kallah – helping to marry of a Kallah, and Halvayas Hamess – escorting the dead. The Steipler pointed out that the order seems to be wrong. We have a Mitzva of visiting someone who is sick and thus fulfilling the mitzva of Bikur Cholim. Sadly, if the person never recovered and succumbed to his illness then we have a Mitzva of Halvayas Hamess. Why does Hachnasas Kallah come in the middle.?
The Steipler answered, that if a person is in a situation that they are sick and people are doing Bikur Cholim to visit them and they are scared that they are leaving this world, thus heading towards Halvayas Hamess. There is a way to keep them apart, by being involved in Hachnasas Kallah.
Rav Kreiswerth recovered and lived for many years after.
Rav Kreiswerth came to a very wealthy man and told him that he had a special merit for him, to contribute towards marrying off an orphan.
The man was very chutzpadik and replied that he has enough merits and doesn't need any more.
The Rav was very taken aback and went to someone else who gave him the money.
The same week Rav Kreiswerth heard that the man was involved in a plane crash and all those on board died.
Rav Kreiswerth said that he had no hard feelings against the man, but who knows if maybe this Mitzva of marrying of an orphan was the merit he was needed to save him and all the other passengers.
