IMPRINT OF GREATNESS - RESPONSIBILITY

On the other hand with what sense of responsibility did Gedolei Yisroel speak. How well aware were they of the power that lies in even a single word - to build or to destroy, to bring close or to alienate.

R' Leibel Cywiak z"l was a long-time member of the office staff. He was wont to bring the Rosh Yeshiva a hot tea at the beginning of the day. One day he brought the tea as usual but noticed after a while that the Rosh Yeshiva hadn't touched it. Realizing that it was cold by now R' Leib brought the Rosh Yeshiva a second tea. This too became cold.

Chassidisher Yid that he was, R' Leibel realized that there is more to this than meets the eye and he asked the Rosh Yeshiva if possibly today he doesn't want a tea at all. The Rosh Yeshiva avoided answering but R' Leibel persisted. Finally the Rosh Yeshiva told R' Leibel that in truth he doesn't want his tea at all today: There is a bochur in Yeshiva who is involved in a shidduch with a girl from a particular family. The bochur is decent but on the weak side in learning - not what this family is looking for.

He, the Rosh Yeshiva, is fasting today and praying that the family not ask him about the bochur so that he be spared being forced to say something derogatory about him!

(as heard from R' Yankel Cywiak and others)

And to quote Rav Schneur zt'l in "Noam Siach" on the subject of speaking with responsibility:

“To Gedolei Torah in all generations, everything that was done by them, no matter how small, had the imprint of greatness and of the full perfection they attained. We saw in my father zt'l his great enthusiasm and fire - we actually saw the Aish Dos, the Fire of Torah that was in him which came through in every single matter he dealt with down to the very last detail...

I remember before an important "drosho" (public address), pertaining to a vital matter how he said: ‘We must daven/pray that the drosho will have the desired effect and accomplish what needs to be accomplished and we must daven ‘Ich zol nisht arois zoggin an iberiker vort vos ken kalya machen’-I shouldn’t say an extra, unwarranted word which can spoil things.’ Because one improper word can completely distort everything else that was said, leaving a wrong impression on the listeners.” (Noam Siach PP.38-9, Yom Hazikoron).

"Rabbi Sherer was fond of telling how Reb Aharon called him one morning before 7:00 A.M., on a day when he was supposed to write an important press release, and cautioned him to omit a very witty and incisive statement by a prominent rabbi. Why? asked Rabbi Sherer. Reb Aharon explained that the statement was true and appealing to the audience that heard it, but the broad public would regard it as frivilous and its message would be diluted. That lesson remained with Rabbi Sherer in his life's work of communicating the authenticity of Torah" [From "A Personal Rememberance", an appreciation of Rabbi Moshe Sherer Z.L. by Rabbi Nosson Scherman shlita - Yated Ne'eman May 22, 1998)

[Significantly, after the aforementioned final drosho to Agudas Yisroel, Reb Schneur commented to “Yibodel L’Chayim Tovim” Reb Dovid Schustal that he doesn’t believe he said “An Iberiker Vort”-undoubtedly Reb Schneur said this in order to impress upon Reb Dovid the significance of one “vort”].

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