8 Iyar · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Yeshaya Pik Berlin
Rabbi Yeshaya Pik Berlin (1725-1799) - "Hagaot to Mesoret HaShas" - rabbi of Breslau
Yahrzeit - 8 Iyar
Resting place - Breslau
An outstanding scholar of Torah, exceptionally well-versed in all areas of Torah, Talmud, Midrash, and halachic literature. His close colleague, Rabbi Noda BiYehuda, noted Rabbi Yeshaya's extraordinary genius and righteousness. For most of his life he did not hold the position of rabbi. He earned his living through a partnership in the leather business. Only toward the end of his life, in 1793, was he appointed Rabbi of Breslau, a position he held until his death.
He wrote dozens of works that reveal his tremendous knowledge, but he was mainly known for his commentaries printed in editions of the Talmud, beginning with the Dyhernfurth edition of 1800.
The Chatam Sofer praised him: "A renowned tzadik... who left no topic untouched, great or small, and studied Torah only for the sake of Heaven... to whom we said, under his protection we shall live among the nations."
The Rebbe Yitzchak Eizik of Komarno testified in his book "Netiv Mitzvotecha" in the name of his teacher, that had Rabbi Yeshaya Pik visited the Baal Shem Tov, their combined righteousness would have brought Redemption to the Jewish people. (Netiv Emuna, Path 6, 11)
A Cup of Coffee
The head of the town's Jewish community, a well-known wealthy man, wished to betroth his daughter to Rav Meshulam Igra, promising the boy support for his entire life.
In that place there was a custom of inviting the groom to a meal at the bride's home. So the community leader did the same. At that time coffee had only just come into fashion. The product was still very expensive, and only wealthy people could afford the fragrant drink. The poor had never even heard of it.
And so, when the future Rabbi Meshulam, then still a thirteen-year-old boy, came to his bride's house, they decided to treat him first of all to the fragrant "novelty." A cup of black coffee was brought to the table, with a small pitcher of milk and a saucer of sugar placed beside it, so the groom could take as much of each as he wished. The boy, from a poor family, was seeing coffee for the first time in his life and, of course, had no idea what to do with everything that had been brought to him. After hesitating for a while, he decided that, as usual, he should turn to the Talmud with his doubts.
The Talmud states that food precedes drink - meaning one should first eat the sugar. So that is what he did. Now he had to choose what to drink first: the milk or the unfamiliar black beverage. The Talmud states that night precedes day. From this we learn that the black one should be given preference. The boy drank the black coffee, and only afterward the milk. However, black grounds still remained in the cup: what was to be done with them? Emboldened by his success, the groom did not deliberate for long: why else would they have given him a little spoon! He grabbed it, scooped the black sediment out of the cup, and ate it.
The bride, sitting at the same table, patiently watched her groom. But when she saw him start eating the coffee grounds, she jumped up and ran off to the kitchen. There she burst into loud tears and, sobbing, told her mother that her groom had first eaten the sugar, then drunk the coffee and milk separately, and now was finishing off the coffee grounds. At this the bride's mother began to weep as well. Drawn by their joint crying, the father came running, and it turned out that his daughter did not want such a groom for herself. The father said reproachfully:
- But he is like a Torah scroll!
Sobbing, the daughter replied:
- The place of a Torah scroll is in the Aron HaKodesh! One does not marry it!
The father could not persuade his stubborn daughter, and the match fell through.
Seventeen years passed, and it so happened that this wealthy man came to visit Breslau. While there, he decided to pay a visit to the famous Rav Yeshaya Pik. Upon entering the rav's home, the wealthy man saw him pacing the room agitatedly, absorbed in reading a lengthy letter. Assuming that some trouble must have occurred, he asked the rav whether he could help with advice or, at the very least, with money. Rabbi Yeshaya only shook his head and continued pacing before his guest, not looking up from the strange letter. After sitting in silence for a while, the wealthy man once again offered the rav any help within his power.
Realizing that his visitor would not leave until he learned the cause of his distress, Rav Yeshaya sighed and said:
- Do you see this letter? It is from a student at a yeshiva. He writes of matters of such depth and asks questions of such complexity that I am forced to set aside all my affairs entirely and immerse myself in the material in order to answer him properly. I am not acquainted with this young man. The letter is signed only with a name: Meshulam Igra. Perhaps you know who this genius is?
Hearing the familiar name and the famous rav's admiration for Meshulam's wisdom, the wealthy man fell from the couch and lost consciousness. Rav Yeshaya could not understand what had happened and was somewhat frightened. Cold water was quickly brought, and the esteemed visitor was revived. But when the rav asked him the reason for his fainting and heard the story of young Meshulam's failed match, he suddenly declared:
- If that is indeed how it happened, you ought to faint again!
(From the book by Israel Spiegel, "Ask Your Father")