Rav Shteinman’s Sensitivity After His Bracha Comes to Fruition

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rav-shteinman2Maran Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman was approached about a year ago by an avreich seeking a bracha for children. He said that he had been married a number of years already and has not yet merited having children. Rav Shteinman comforted him, saying that he “should not worry about it. Be’ezras Hashem you will have a son and I will be the sandek at the bris.

The time flew by and last Wednesday was the new baby’s bris, just a year after Rav Shteinman’s bracha. When the baby was born, the grandfather, a known askan, went to tell Rav Shteinman and to invite him to be sandek at the bris. Rav Shteinman agreed to be sandek only after he ensured with 100% confidence that neither he nor the other grandfather wanted to be sandek and that they are mochel on the honor.

Even when the grandfather assured him he was mochel and it would be okay, Rav Shteinman said that he could only be mochel for himself and not for the other grandfather.

It seems obvious that especially in such a situation where Rav Shteinman had given the bracha, besides for the fact that he is one of the gedolim and it would generally be considered an honor to have him as a sandek, one could assume mechilah. Yet Rav Shteinman was very careful and did not want to take from someone else what they might consider theirs or coming to them. One must be very careful from impinging on other people’s belongings or feelings, even when one might be making a safe assumption.

{Rafi G.-Life in Israel/Matzav.com}


5 COMMENTS

  1. I am amazed. I have heard that at an advanced age some people become less patient. But here we have a Gadol of 99 showing us how to be sensitive to others feelings, even when we can/should claim the glory.

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