Category Archives: Stories of Tzaddikim

In a bathhouse, the Chofetz Chayim once saw a person using an article that belonged to someone else.  The Chofetz Chayim went over to him and whispered, “A person who washes himself with something that does not belong to him … Continue reading →

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok, the Chozeh of Lublin, once asked his wife to prepare his meal early, so that he would have more time for the performance of a certain mitzvah.  Unfortunately, the meal was ready even later than usual.  “It … Continue reading →

Once, during the Russian civil war, R’ Nosson Zvi Finkel (the “Alter”) and R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky were davening in a room in the midst of an artillery bombardment by the White Army.  White they were reciting Shemoneh Esrei, a large … Continue reading →

Rabbi Chayim Shmuelevitz, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir, said that when he sees a young child wear his first pair of shoes, he is moved to tears because he pictures the intense joy of that child’s mother. ~ R’ Zelig Pliskin

When Rabbi Yisroel Salanter was on his deathbed there was only a single individual in the room. Rav Yisroel realized that most people feel very uneasy about being alone in the same room with a corpse.  To allay his companion’s … Continue reading →

A student of Rabbi Eliyahu Dov Lazerovitz was once walking with him to the yeshiva.  They started out at a very brisk pace, then all of the sudden Rabbi Lazerovitz slowed down to a snail’s pace.  The student asked him … Continue reading →

On one occasion when Rabbi Noson Tzvi Finkel was leading the congregation in prayer, he kept stumbling on the pronunciation of the words.  Those present were amazed, since he always pronounced each word precisely.  The congregants soon understood the reason … Continue reading →

I was once with Rebbe Shlomo (Carlebach) at a subway station in Berlin.  A disheveled, drunken man started shouting angrily at us, “You dirty Jews!”  I urged Rebbe Shlomo to leave, but instead he went up to this raving man … Continue reading →

“The Chafetz Chaim once had to testify in a Polish court as a character witness on behalf of a student who was falsely accused of a crime.  After the Chafetz Chaim testified that his student’s integrity was beyond reproach, the … Continue reading →

During the final days of the Steipler’s life, an amazing incident occurred.  The Steipler asked for his tzitzis.  As someone put the garment on him, the Steipler, what was lying in bed and could not see the ends of the … Continue reading →