[Avodah] Are "Gedolim Stories" Good for Chinuch?

[Akiva Blum]

> From: On Behalf Of Micha Berger
> Sent: Wednesday 22 December 2010 1:13 PM

>     Surely Rav Yisroel who knew his time was near was deep in thought
>     about life and death, tshuvah and torah. Yet he had the presence of
>     mind in his weakened condition to concern himself with the possible
>     fear of another person. (HaMi'oros HaGedolim)

> With one simple word, they defeat the entire lesson. To really reflect
> the message RYS left us, that last paragraph should have read:
>     Surely Rav Yisroel who knew his time was near was deep in thought
>     about life and death, tshuvah and torah. THEREFORE...

> By saying "yet", the author makes it clear that deep down he thinks
> that this concern for his gabbai (who likely wasn't a "simple man")
> is a break from thinking about Torah -- the exact reverse of the point
> of the story, and the message most readers would end up internalizing.

I don't know. When I read this story, I see that Rav Yisroel felt that the
feelings of others take precedence over personal tshuvah and torah. The
story teaches us what a godol knows to be the correct approach. Perhaps we
may feel, or have felt otherwise, but that is exactly what the story does
teach us.

Akiva