Harav Shach’s Sensitivity on Leil Bedikas Chametz
On leil bedikas chametz, Harav Shach personally brought a bachur to R’ Shlomo Hoffman for an urgent evaluation — and waited outside. Only later did R’ Shlomo learn what Harav Shach had been protecting.
On the night of bedikas chametz, the telephone rang in the home of R’ Shlomo Hoffman zt”l.
R’ Shlomo picked up the phone and heard Harav Shach zt”l identify himself.
Harav Shach had called R’ Shlomo many times before. R’ Shlomo was known for his deep understanding of the kochos hanefesh, and Harav Shach would turn to him when difficult situations needed that kind of insight.
But this was leil bedikas chametz. It was not the time for an ordinary call.
R’ Shlomo asked what the matter was.
Harav Shach told him that he wished to come that very night with a bachur who needed an urgent mental-health evaluation. If the bachur’s condition required immediate hospitalization, it had to be arranged right away. If not, the matter could wait until after Yom Tov.
R’ Shlomo agreed.
At the arranged time, the bachur came. R’ Shlomo met with him, evaluated the situation, and gave his opinion.
The next morning, after vasikin, several neighbors from the lower floors of the building came over to R’ Shlomo with a question.
“What was Harav Shach doing at your home last night?”
R’ Shlomo was surprised.
The neighbors explained that late at night they had heard the sound of a taxi motor running outside. They looked out and saw an elderly Yid sitting in the taxi, occupied with his own matters. After some time, they saw him walking back and forth.
Then they realized who it was.
It was Harav Shach from Bnei Brak.
He had brought the bachur, and while the evaluation was taking place, he waited outside.
Later, R’ Shlomo asked Harav Shach why he had gone to such trouble, and why the matter had been so urgent.
Harav Shach explained.
If they had waited until the next day, and the decision had been that the bachur did need hospitalization, then everything would have become rushed and pressured. There would be forms, arrangements, askanim, family members, and last-minute preparations before Yom Tov.
And in all that rush, who knows? Perhaps the family and the askanim would forget to make sure that the bachur had a kezayis of matzah shemurah for the Seder night.
For that possibility, Harav Shach went himself on leil bedikas chametz.
For that possibility, he waited outside.
Because even in the pressure of crisis, even when others saw an urgent mental-health situation, Harav Shach was thinking about the bachur himself — and about the mitzvah that this one bachur needed on the night of Pesach.