Yisrael traveled to the Midwest in order to date Sara who would ultimately become his wife. In the course of one date, Sara innocently inquired, “I understand that you are in law school.” Yisrael affirmed the accuracy of this detail and quickly attempted to switch the topic.
But Sara wasn’t done. “Which law school?” Yisrael would have preferred not to divulge which school, as he has always tried to conceal his brilliance. Truth be told, he has not been especially successful in this regard.
When Yisrael arrived in Ner Israel for ninth grade, coming from a coed day school with no yeshiva training, his notebook was brought before Rav Yaakov Ruderman, zt”l. The famous rosh yeshiva commented with incredulity, “In Europe I never encountered such erudite novella.”
Back to the date. Yisrael was too humble to say that he was enrolled in the top law school in the country (from where he would graduate with the very highest honors.) But try as he did, he could not shake Sara from her inquiry. “Which school is it already?”
“A school back east,” Yisrael sighed hoping he had dismissed the subject.
“Which school?” she insisted.
“Haaarremd,” he muttered.
“Haaarremd?!” Sara repeated. “I never heard of Haaarremd.”
And thus the conversation continued until Sara was finally able to expose that the young man she was dating was in Harvard law school on a scholarship.
This story gives one pause. Most every young man on a date, looking to impress the girl that he is courting, seeks to reveal as many assets and achievements as possible. Yet this man who would go on to become a famous rabbi, law professor, world-class posek, dayan, noted and riveting speaker and is today a rosh yeshiva, could not bring himself to even identify the prestigious institution he was attending!
(To be continued)
Chodesh tov – have a pleasant month.