The Library

At the beginning of World War II, the Brisker Rav was in Warsaw and bombs were falling all around. The people who were with him at that time were having an argument over whether it was safer to stay in the basement, protected from a direct hit, or if the basement was actually more dangerous, as one could get buried there under the rubble. As the debate raged, the Brisker Rav was on the top floor of the building, walking around, thinking in learning, perfectly calm and relaxed. The people wondered how the Rabbi could be so calm during such a tense time. The Rabbi explained to them, “The only thing in the world that I am worried about is doing the ratzon Hashem. I was going back and forth in my mind deciding whether it would be better to be here or in the basement and I determined that the two places were equally dangerous, so it makes no difference where I stay. Now I am completely calm because Hashem looks after me. I just have to make sure I’m doing His will."