“Is it possible,” the talmid asked, “that the Vilna Gaon didn’t hear the thunder?”
The talmidim jumped, startled, but the Rosh Yeshivah didn’t flinch. Against the background of the earsplitting blare, he continued to explain the Meiri’s position. Eventually, the alarm turned off, allowing the talmidim to focus again.
At the shiur’s end, talmidim crowded around the Rosh Yeshivah with questions on the sugya. One talmid had another sort of question — he sought clarity on the sugya of life.
He prefaced his question with the following story: “It’s said that the Vilna Gaon was once asked if one should recite the brachah on thunder while learning. The Vilna Gaon looked up. ‘Why are you asking me?’ he inquired of the questioner. ‘Because there was just a crash of thunder,’ the fellow responded.”
Rav Avrohom Gurwicz nodded upon hearing the story, not understanding where this was headed.
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