Every now and then
you read a story that makes you realize what it means, and what it
takes, to truly become a Gadol BaTorah. Rebbi Akiva Eiger was not in
great health and his children wanted to take him to a place with fresh
air, to get away and rejuvenate his ebbing strength. But how would
they convince him of this? First of all how would they approach him
since he was always busy learning. Even if they would interrupt him,
there was no way he would agree to go.
The decided to make all
the arrangements without telling him and at the appointed time a
carriage waited outside the house. His son went him and took his
father and walked with him to the carriage. Rebbi Akiva Eiger walked
with him while continuing to be immersed in his learning. They got
into the carriage and were off to the mountains. When they arrived at
the inn, they took Rebbi Akiva Eiger up to his room and sat him on a
couch facing a window with a view of the mountains. All the time he
continued learning without paying any attention to his new surroundings.
Finally
after sitting on the couch for a while, he turned to his son and asked,
"where is the baby?" No one understood what he wanted. Finally they
figured out that since he was seated on the couch, he though he was
called to be Sandak at a Bris and was waiting for the baby so that they
can perform the Bris and he can get back home to his learning.
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