Reply To: ???? ???? ???? Extreme Chumros

For a glimpse into Brisker Matzos baking see

http://www.hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=545

In the full article there was the following story with some minute diffs in detail (cannot recall). The Hamodia version most likely more accurate as he was quoting the Brisker Rav’s son.

One year when the B”R was baking matzos in Yerushalayim (and most likely in a similar vein to his grandfather the B”H) he was approached by an individual who wished to share a story of one of the great early Rebbes.

This particular Rebbe would bake matzos with an incredible amount of stringencies and hiddurim. At one such baking there was a simple jew who was baking his matzos together with this Rebbe.

When the simple Jew witnessed the awesome amount of exactitude with which the Rebbe baked his matzos he was overcome with great emotion and pain, as he was unlearned he was unable to bake his matzos as the Rebbe. He walked to the corner of the room and with tears in his eyes uttered a heartfelt prayer, “Ribbono Shel Olam!, Master of the universe! I am a simple man and unable to perform mitzvos with the same degree of care as the Rebbe, therefore I ask for siyaata dishmaya, help from above, that my matzos should be both kosher and beautiful…”

The Rebbe overheard the prayer and immediately approached and requested of the simple Jew that they exchange matzos…

The individual finished telling the B”R the story and it was quite evident to all the listeners what this individual was intimating, that prayer creates “better” matzos than exacting standards.

Without the slightest pause or hesitation the B”R responded, “So we see the Jew’s prayer was immediately granted… ” [ he merited the best matzos, those matzos that the Rebbe baked with exacting standards (quite the contrary of this individual’s interpretation)]

This all transpired in the presence of R” Yechezkel Abramsky zt’l, who was so awed by the response and quick-wittedness of the B”R that he would share the story to all those who would visit with him for a number of years.

I heard/read another explanation why the Rebbe wanted the other Yid’s Matzos. ?? ? ???? ???????? The Yid told him the Matzos were Kosher. So he had the Torah’s guarantee, while about his own he was nervous. Sounds Real Brisk to me