Rebbe Rebbe
Family is Torah”, he said, while tapping my shoulder with each topic. That was Rav Birenbaum. His character was al- ways evident in his excitement for Torah and Mitzvos. Any- ways, he told me he was coming to be sandek at my son’s Bris. I called him up the day before the Bris to give him the time for davening, 8 A.M. He said “8 AM? I can’t, I’m sorry I cannot come...” Needless to say, my face fell and I said “What? Rebbi! You said you would be sandek!” I had no idea what had happened, did I insult him or something? But he responded to me “I can’t daven 8 o’clock. In Yeshiva we start 7:30 and I have to follow Sidrei HaYeshiva.”
He must have sensed my desperation and dejection though over the phone because he immediately responded “If you want, I will daven in Yeshiva and then someone can pick me up and bring me to you.” “That won’t work though” I replied. The whole thing was falling apart. “I don’t under- stand. Why can’t you make it?” He replied to me with a stern voice “Davening is part of Sidrei HaYeshiva. Seder by us in the Mir starts at 7:30 AM. I start at 7:30 in the morn- ing. I’m sorry I can’t come”. I admired his principles, but I realized I was stuck. How could I rescue the situation? I de- cided to play a different strategy; I approached him for ad- vice instead. “How can I get the Rosh Yeshiva to come?” I asked. He chuckled at my ploy and said “If you are willing to daven at 7:30 and get some people, I will join you in that shul, we can daven in a side room”. He then asked me to pick him early, around 6 AM.