The Brisker Rov - The Magid of Plotzk Impresses The Vilna Gaon With A Small Bit Of Truth
The
Magid Rav Pinchos of Plotzk wrote a peirush on Tefila called Shaar
HaRachamim. He took it to the Vilna Gaon hoping to receive his Haskama
to print it. The Gra took a look at his work and when he read the
reason he wrote for saying Adon Olam in the beginning of davening, the
Gra said, for this alone it is worth printing.
Many people have
written explanations for why we say Adon Olam in the beginning of
davening. The Vilna Gaon who was not easily impressed was very moved
by the explanation of the Magid of Plotzk, which doesn't seem on the
surface any more or less interesting than other peirushim.
Someone
once had the nerve to ask the Brisker Rov what the Vilna Gaon saw in
this peirush that made him so excited. The Brisker Rov answered that
the Torah of the Vilna Gaon was pure unadulterated truth. The truth
impressed him and nothing else. It made no difference if it is an
earth shattering truth, or truth on a smaller scale. In this short
explanation, the Gra saw the truth, and the truth, in the eyes of the
Vilna Gaon, is worthy of publication.
All his incomprehensible brillinace aside, to impress the Vilna Gaon all you needed to do was speak words of truth!
Anonymous, 2009-02-10 08:48:06 What was the actual P'shat of the magid?RE, 2009-02-10 09:24:02 The crux of it is that we need to start with Zechus Avos, and the gemara Brachos 7a says that Avrohom was the first person to call Hashem "Adon". Same idea with Shemoneh Esrei.
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