238th yahrtzeit: 9 Adar BURIED: Vilna, Lithuania
Reb Zalman was famous for being a massive gaon, utilizing every second of his time for learning. He was the famous Reb Chaim Volozihiner’s younger brother. He was niftar at the very young age of 32.
Story
Imagine this scene, on Shabbos afternoon, you see the illustrious Reb Zalman running through the streets holding a lantern without a yarmulke on his head! It would definitely look really odd! This, though, is exactly what happened one fine Shabbos. One of the people who saw this ran right over to the house of Reb Zalman’s brother, Reb Chaim, and said, “Reb Chaim, it seems like Reb Zalman has, nebach, had a nervous breakdown.”
After hearing what had happened, Reb Chaim ran right over and found his brother deep in the middle of a sugya, as usual. Reb Chaim called out, “My brother, Reb Zalman — is everything okay?”
“Of course,” answered Reb Zalman. “So why in the world were you running in the street with a lantern, not wearing a yarmulke on Shabbos?”
“Well, very simple,” Reb Chaim replied. “Someone came to ask me if it is permitted to turn on a lantern for a very sick man. I ruled that it was pikuach nefesh, when one is allowed to be mechalel Shabbos. But I noticed that the Yid still didn’t feel good about it and wasn’t able to bring himself to do a melachah on Shabbos. So I ran myself to bring the sick person the lantern!
“While I was running, my yarmulke fell off, but every moment could mean life or death, so I did not stop to pick it back up. I just ran as fast as I could to help the sick man.”
The great Reb Zalman knew exactly what Hashem wanted from him every minute!
Reb Zalman was such a big gaon that his brother said that he knew the whole Torah by heart, just like we know Ashrei by heart.
He would immerse himself in learning to such an extent that once he was pacing back and forth and happened to step on a nail. He didn’t even notice. He just kept pacing as his foot was dripping blood!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 71.