A Rebbe Who Responds

After he grew up, Rav Dovid Tzvi Shlomo decided to travel to Europe in search of a rebbe and mentor. His father wondered, "Why am I not good enough to be your rebbe?"

"A father cannot also be his son's rebbe," replied Rav Dovid Tzvi Shlomo.

"So why don't you take the Kosel as your rebbe?" asked his father.

"I need a rebbe who can respond to me and give me answers," insisted the son.

"The Kosel does give responses and answers," his father protested.

"Tatty," said Rav Dovid Tzvi, "when you say 'Good Shabbos' after Maariv, you do indeed hear a response, but I don't." He left for Europe as he had planned. Once there, he became attached to Rav Aharon of Karlin, author of Beis Aharon, and when he returned to Eretz Yisroel, he established his place of davening in the Karliner beis medrash.