Humility

I was reading an article about Rav Pinchas Hirschprung zt”l, whose yahrzheit is today. One interesting anecdote that was related is the following.

In Vilna, Rav Hirschprung had the privilege of meeting the legendary Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky. He would later tell a remarkable story from that encounter.

Rav Chaim Ozer spoke in learning with the boy from Dukla, quoting a Gemara in Bava Basra 87. The young Pinchas Hirschprung suggested that it was on daf 88. They argued about this, until Rav Hirschprung said he would go find a Gemara so they could see the truth.

Rav Chaim Ozer grabbed hold of his own beard and asked, “Do you want to shame this white beard?”

Rav Hirschprung didn’t get the Gemara. But later, he went to check.

He had been wrong.

Rav Chaim Ozer had been right.

And Rav Chaim Ozer had known that he was right—and he had wanted to protect the dignity and honor of the young talmid chacham.

The story, Rav Hirschprung would say, wasn’t about the great genius of Rav Chaim Ozer, nor about his modesty—but about the way both traits lived together in one person, each complementing the other. The humility is that much more valuable against the genius, the genius so much more impressive against the humility.

https://vinnews.com/2026/01/15/the-living-sefer-torah-on-his-yahrtzeit-tonight-rav-pinchas-hirschprungz-ztl/