Finishing Shas Before the News
Shabbos & Yom TovTorah learning
At Slabodka, the Alter allowed Rav Ruderman to learn in his own way, since he could not keep to the yeshiva’s sedarim, as long as he met goals set in advance. It was agreed that he would try to finish Shas that winter. He took long walks during which he reviewed Gemoros and Sedarim from memory, and he was well on his way when a telegram reached the Alter shortly after Sukkos, announcing the petira of Rav Yehuda Leib.
The Alter did not want to interrupt his talmid’s learning, so he kept the terrible news from him. Only after Pesach, when Rav Ruderman had reached his goal, did he learn that his father had passed away. The Alter told him that finishing Shas brought his father’s neshamah far greater merit than all the Kaddish he had missed.