It was one of those rare moments when a gadol allows us into his personal life

AT a siyum in Lakewood celebrating the culmination of a two-year program for balabatim learning hilchos Shabbos, Lakewood rosh yeshivah Rav Yeruchem Olshin shlita graced the event. As the Rosh Yeshivah got up to leave, he made his way through the crowd, taking the time to wish each baal simchah a personal mazel tov.

The Rosh Yeshivah was almost at the door when he passed Moshe Katz, the multitalented singer who had been brought in for the event. The Rosh Yeshivah stopped, listened to Katz’s soulful rendition of Shlomo Carlebach’s “Lulei Sorascha,” and then shared a memory with the young musician.

He told him that as a youngster, he had visited the succah of Rav Simchah Zissel Levovitz, a son of the great Mirrer Mashgiach, Rav Yerucham Levovitz. Rav Simchah Zissel’s wife was a sister of Shlomo Carlebach, and Carlebach was in the succah that evening when he started humming a tune to the timeless words of “Lulei Sorascha.” The Rosh Yeshivah recalled how the song quickly caught on. Until today, he told Katz, when he hears the tune, it brings him back to that succah of long ago, where it was first composed.

He then thanked Moshe for his beautiful singing, telling him he sounds better each time he hears him, and headed out on his way.

It was one of those rare moments when a gadol allows us into his personal life, for the sole purpose of bringing chizuk and joy to fellow Yidden. And the care and thoughtfulness harmonized perfectly with the gadlus b’Torah to create the most beautiful composition of all.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 943)