The Bochurim Who Played the Horse

A wagon driver named Avrumke, who owned a horse, took the Chofetz Chaim to the yeshivah at set times. In Eastern Europe in those days, getting around town meant a horse and wagon. Now and then the Chofetz Chaim would send word to the bochurim that he wished to visit the yeshivah in the middle of the day, and Avrumke and his horse were nowhere to be found.

A padded wagon built for his comfort stood outside the Chofetz Chaim’s own house. On those days, one bochur would stand in for the horse, another would sit up front as driver with his back turned, and the others would settle the Chofetz Chaim in his seat in such a way that he could not see who was pulling or who was driving.

That is how they covered the roughly 200 paces between his house and the yeshivah. Once there, a few bochurim would form a wall between him and the “horse” and “driver” while they helped him inside, so he never guessed what had happened. Certain bochurim were put in charge of the entire scheme.