The night wore on, but the clarity and confidence of the respondents remained the same

It was a splendid sight — hundreds of Gerrer kollel yungeleit submitting to a very public test on all of Shas as the seats of the Binyanei Ha’umah convention center in Jerusalem were filled with onlookers. In the presence of the Gerrer Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein and Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi challenged the avreichim from all over Shas. The night wore on, but the clarity and confidence of the respondents remained the same.

At one point, Rav Zilberstein asked for sources in Shas that it is permitted to veer from the truth to prevent damage. Before the avreichim offered their answers, the Gerrer Rebbe leaned over and suggested that it was in fact a clear pasuk in the Torah: The Shevatim telling Yosef Hatzaddik that their father had commanded, before his death, that Yosef forgive them. The Gemara says they changed the facts for the benefit of shalom.

Rav Zilberstein smiled in delight, appreciating the wisdom and clarity in the answer.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 882)