Three true stories from reliable sources on gedolei yisrael and their connection to Torah even while barely conscious.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz [the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva] was towards his end in the hospital, lying semi-unconscious. A student came to visit him and on his way out he blessed the Rav in Yiddish "You should have a refuah shleima". Rav Chaim answered in his famous raspy voice "Breng ah ra-ayeeeeh". ["Bring a proof", which is what we say in the Beis Medrash when someone makes a claim or offers an answer to a question].
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Rav Dovid Mann [the Rosh Yeshiva of Knesses Chizkiyahu who passed away last Yud Dalet Sivan, authored 18 unbelievable sefarim including די באר on the Torah. An unreal gadol bi-yisrael. Please learn his sefarim] was very sick in the hospital. He woke up from his sleep and was quite disoriented. He asked where he was. He said "I can't be in Gan Eden - I am not worthy". [A person whose whole existence was Avodas Hashem..] He was told that he is in "Rambam" [that is the name of the hospital]. He asked "Which Rambam?" [Meaning - which halacha in the Rambam?]
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Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul [one of the two biggest Sefardi Rabbanim of our generation together with Rav Ovadiah Yosef] was very sick in the hospital and barely conscious. The talmidim read out from the gemara to the Rav. At one point he mumbled "Beer Sheva". They didn't know what he was talking about. So he mumbled it again. They still couldn't figure it out. What does Beer Sheva have to do with anything? Until someone realized that the sugya they were "learning" with him had a very important teshuva written about it in the sefer "Beer Sheva".
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz [the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva] was towards his end in the hospital, lying semi-unconscious. A student came to visit him and on his way out he blessed the Rav in Yiddish "You should have a refuah shleima". Rav Chaim answered in his famous raspy voice "Breng ah ra-ayeeeeh". ["Bring a proof", which is what we say in the Beis Medrash when someone makes a claim or offers an answer to a question].
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Rav Dovid Mann [the Rosh Yeshiva of Knesses Chizkiyahu who passed away last Yud Dalet Sivan, authored 18 unbelievable sefarim including די באר on the Torah. An unreal gadol bi-yisrael. Please learn his sefarim] was very sick in the hospital. He woke up from his sleep and was quite disoriented. He asked where he was. He said "I can't be in Gan Eden - I am not worthy". [A person whose whole existence was Avodas Hashem..] He was told that he is in "Rambam" [that is the name of the hospital]. He asked "Which Rambam?" [Meaning - which halacha in the Rambam?]
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Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul [one of the two biggest Sefardi Rabbanim of our generation together with Rav Ovadiah Yosef] was very sick in the hospital and barely conscious. The talmidim read out from the gemara to the Rav. At one point he mumbled "Beer Sheva". They didn't know what he was talking about. So he mumbled it again. They still couldn't figure it out. What does Beer Sheva have to do with anything? Until someone realized that the sugya they were "learning" with him had a very important teshuva written about it in the sefer "Beer Sheva".
