A Knock on Erev Yom Kippur

Rav Shach wrote a wonderful haskomah for Rav Brevda's sefer Eifoh Shleimoh on Tefillas Channah and Chad Gadya. In his hesped, Rav Brevda's son, Reb Velvel, told how it came about. When his father had finished the sefer, he went to Maran Rav Shach to ask for a letter. Rav Shach said it was not a good time to write a letter. Rav Brevda returned several times over a few months, and each time Rav Shach said that it was not a good enough time to write a letter for the sefer.

Suddenly, late on Erev Yom Kippur, there was a knock at Rav Brevda's door. It was Rav Shach. He said that now was a good time to write a letter for a sefer such as Rav Brevda's, and he proceeded to do so.

In part, the letter read, "The Rav HaGaon HaRav Brevda worked and toiled and he was successful and his efforts bore fruit. He has great knowledge of the sayings of the Gra and he knows how to uncover hidden things and hints in the writings of the Gra. May Hashem help him to publish and to enlighten the world with the brilliant sayings of the Gra. And may the zechus of the Gra stand for him so that he will see the coming of Moshiach Tzikdeinu and Binyan Ariel." Rav Shach also gave him $1,000 toward the expenses of the sefer, saying that he wanted to have the zechus of being a part of it.