Rav Elyashiv, A Personal Memoir (II)

During the course of the questioning Rav Elyashiv would usually focus on the least interesting feature of his hands or somehow adjust the flow of his beard. (I was rather attentive to the non-halachic aspects of the shiur…) It was as if he was conveying that during the duration of the time that the question was being posed he was not expending all of his attention exclusively on the query. (But then again, it might have been a mental doodle of sorts.)

When the question was finally delivered and the shiur participants – scholars to a man – were left slack-jawed by the severity of the objection, Rav Elyashiv was unfazed. Without the slightest hesitation he would pounce back with the answer. There was never a hiatus, a closing of the eyes as a cerebral file was accessed, an “ehh” or a moment of indecision. I don’t remember him ever saying, “Maybe” or “Perhaps.”

If he deemed a question worthy of an answer (more about this later) he would provide the answer. Case closed. Then it was back to the Gemara. No matter where the inquisitors were coming from, he had already been there, thought through the issue and was clear and prepared.

(To be concluded) Chodesh tov – have a pleasant month!