There was a Brit Milah (circumcision) taking place in Bnei Brak and the baby’s father honored the Chazon Ish with being Sandek (G-dfather). The townsfolk swarmed to the synagogue to get a blessing from him or at least to glimpse his holy countenance.
The Chazon Ish, Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz received each one with a smile, carefully listening to their requests, patiently deciding and advising each one. Only his close inner circle of family and close students saw how pale he was and it worried them. When the Chazon Ish finished receiving the people he slowly stood up and proceeded to the car that was taking him home.
The driver decided to speed the Chazon Ish to the hospital but the Chazon Ish stopped him. “Drive slowly” he said. The driver, who was one of his students listened to the Chazon Ish and drove slowly. After they reached a turn in the road the Chazon Ish said he could now go faster. “Faster, faster” he said. The student handed the Chazon Ish a pill the doctor prescribed the Chazon Ish for heart attacks. After the Chazon Ish took the pill he instructed his student to stop so he could go out and breath some fresh air.
The Chazon Ish calmed down and told his student, “That was a strong heart attack”! The student asked, “when did you know you weren’t feeling well?” the Chazon Ish replied, “already on our way to the brit”. “So why did you go?” asked the student. “I hoped it would go away” the Chazon Ish answered. “But when it didn’t go away, why did you continue to receive people?” asked the student.
The Chazon Ish answered: “So many people were there, each waiting for me with their packages of problems! I couldn’t run away from them! If they would understand that ‘The people of Israel’ are loved by G-d they would ask G-d straight and G-d would answer them. But they don’t realize this and they ask me to pray for them! So how could I refuse them?”
The student was impressed by the Chazon Ish’s noble spirit but he asked: “Why did you tell me to drive slowly when we got into the car?” The Chazon Ish asked back; “Didn’t you see the crowds of people there behind the car? If you’d have gone fast they would have gotten hit with the exhaust fumed right in their faces. How could I mistreat and dishonor a Jew like that?”
From Dirshu.
