By Yoni Schwartz
My chavrusa once told me a cute story about Rav Shalom Schwadron, ZT”L, that brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. He had a talmid with whom he became very close. Rav Schwadron was very active on many chesed projects and would always take this talmid along with him; he was like his right-hand man. One night, Rav Schwadron called the talmid, who thought he was coming to help with another Chessed project, and was a bit puzzled when he walked in and saw two chairs set up in the dining room, and was told by the Rav, “She’ll be here soon.” Shortly after, the Rav’s niece walked in.
The talmid quickly understood what was happening. They sat down and began a pleasant conversation with each other. After about half an hour, Rav Shalom peeked his head in and said, “That was the first date.” Half an hour later, he popped by again and said, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I must get up early for the vasikin (sunrise) minyan, and your conversation is a bit loud. Come outside to the bench, and you will continue over there.” I’ll never forget those funny words of my chavrusa:
“You see, Rav Shalom already held it was shayach (i.e., it was a match), he was just being nice to them by letting them go out first.” After about half an hour of them sitting outside, he poked out his head from the upstairs window and said, “It looks like your third date is going very well, but you guys are still being a little too loud.” Looking at his talmid, he then said, “Nu... It’s very late. It’s only derech eretz that you should walk her home.”
She lived an hour and a half away. The talmid returned in the early morning hours. His worried father asked, “What happened? Where were you?” The talmid responded, “I was on four dates.” When Rav Shalom was with him on another Chessed project, he asked his talmid, “Nu, how did it go?” “We got married,” he responded.
Reprinted from the Parshas Chaya Sarah 5786 email of Torah Sweets.
