Unlike tales of heroic feats, this rare collection of anecdotes recounts the seemingly "simple" acts of extraordinary individuals. We learn how the truly great lived their lives with a sense of inner nobility that carried them through challenges both great and small. Why did Rav Yisroel Zev Gustman insist on watering the plants of his yeshivah garden himself? How did Rav Shlomo Halberstam, the Bobover Rebbe, cleverly persuade a debtor to pay his bills? Why did an aged Rav Chaim Shmulevitz brave fierce winds and rain to attend the simchah of a man he hardly knew? Why would the Baba Sali delay a Yom Tov meal for hours, just to host a young student? Rabbi David Silber does more than tell these stories. Each inspirational narrative is accompanied by an authoritative biographical sketch giving a meaning unique to the individual it presents. Chassidic Rebbes, Roshei Yeshivah, Sephardic leaders all are here, sharing their wisdom, their wit and their spiritual valor. In a world where selflessness and nobility of spirit are overlooked, these behind - the scenes stories shine with a charm all their own. |
