HaGaon HaGadol Rav Chaim Kniyevsky z"l and HaRav Chaim Drukman z"l had very very different pictures of what Hashem wants and thinks. [I can see people getting angry at me for comparing and contrasting the pair. To those people - my apologies]. For the latter, the birth of Medinat Yisrael was the greatest spiritual victory since the time of the second Beis Hamikdash. His religion revolved greatly around the Medina. In his mind, if you didn't believe in the value and Kedusha of the Medina, then your Emunah is lacking. Even the Torah one learns must be impacted by the Medina. Serving in the army is a mitzva of the highest order. For the former, Medinat Yisrael is one of the greatest tragedies since the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash. Serving in the army is for people who are not religious. Religious men are supposed to be in Yeshiva and religious women should be busy building families. Sheirut Leumi for girls? For Rav Chaim D. - GREAT mitzva. HOOOLLLYYY! For Rav Chaim K. - יהרג ואל יעבור [that was the opinion of his revered uncle the Chazon Ish] - if not literally then close to it.
Coed youth groups? For Rav Chaim D. they must be tolerated in order to bring people closer to Torah and religious Zionism. For Rav Chaim K. they are as "upgefregt" [unconscionable] as eating pork on Yom Kippur that falls out on Shabbos in front of an Aron Kodesh. Unthinkable.
For Rav Chaim K., Avodas Hashem revolves around Talmud Torah. Torah, Torah and more Torah. For Rav Chaim D. that is a narrow perspective. There must also be nationalistic engagement such as building new settlements, army, developing the material infrastructure of the Holy Medina etc. etc.
But there are also commonalities between them that we can all learn from. One is chesed. They both did endless amounts of chesed for people. Both of their homes were public domains. Thousands of people coming for advice, guidance, bracha etc. etc. and they receive them בסבר פנים יפות day after day, week after week, month after month for years. Most people charge for their time. Not them.
Neither of them cared much about Gashmiyus. It was all about serving Hashem [as they understood that concept]. They both COULD have enjoyed the pleasures of this world. Rav Chaim K. had rich guys who would HAPPILY have given him whatever sum of money he wanted but he was really not interested. Rav Chaim D. could have retired decades ago and enjoyed his hefty pension [he served for many years as a Knesset member] but that would have been anathema to him.
Both took davening very very seriously. Rav Chaim K. never ever missed minyan or davening Vasikin. Rav Chaim D. davened every day at six regardless of when he went to sleep and was a very highly regarded Baal Tfilla. Speaking of sleep - neither of them did much of that. Rav Chaim D. - two hours a night. After a heart attack he buckled under pressure from his wife and doctor [his wife is actually a doctor herself] and went up to four hours but started cutting down and returned to two hours. I don't know how much Rav Chaim K. slept but certainly not much.
The most important lesson for us to learn from these two leaders is their complete and unwavering devotion to their ideals. They were both totally focused on their goals, ALWAYS had their eye on the ball and as a result accomplished a TREMENDOUS amount in their lives.
One thing they certainly would have agreed upon is that true life is being connected to Hashem. "ואתם הדבקים בה' א-להיכם חיים כולכם היום".
We are not supposed to be either Rav Chaim. But we MUST, as they both did, decide what OUR INDIVIDUAL purpose is in this world and then focus on achieving that purpose with single minded devotion.
