Eyes Closed, Ears Open

The Yetev Lev never spoke ill of any Jew. Every night he learned with his grandchildren from midnight to one o'clock, and again from three to four in the morning. In the middle of the shiur he would close his eyes for a while. Everyone thought that he had fallen asleep, but he was thinking deeply and taking in everything that was said.

Once, while his eyes were closed, the grandchildren began to talk about a very corrupt man who had caused great pain to the people of the town and had even spoken against the Yetev Lev in public. The Rav of Lafush, who was present, tried to defend the man, saying that the rumors about him were untrue. As proof he said that the Yetev Lev himself thought highly of the man.

The Yetev Lev had taken no part in the conversation. But when he heard this, a smile crossed his face, showing that although his eyes had been closed during the shiur, he had not been sleeping.