Sick Over Rav Schneur’s Illness

In 1982 a talmid arrived at the Rosh Yeshiva’s home to accompany him to Mincha. He noticed that Rav Ruderman’s face looked broken. The Rosh Yeshiva said he had just heard that Rav Schneur Kotler was very ill. He quoted the Gemara that when a talmid chochom is sick, one must plead with Hashem for his recovery to the point of becoming ill over his plight. Then and there Rav Ruderman burst into bitter tears. When he had calmed himself somewhat, he went to Mincha.

For two days afterward the Rosh Yeshiva was ill and stayed in bed. Dr. Jakobovitz, the physician who lived on Yeshiva Lane, examined him and found nothing wrong. The talmid knew the cause: the Rosh Yeshiva had davened with such intensity that he had fallen ill over Rav Schneur’s condition, exactly as the Gemara says.