by Rabbi Yair Hoffman
Rav Shmuel Salant zt”l, (1816-1909) was the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim and was a well-known gaon and tzaddik. On Motzai Shabbos – he jumped out of the window of Shul (see Shalmei Todah, Chanukah p. 266).
Why did he do so?
The Maaseh Rav (The Vilna Gaon) Hilchos Chanukah 237 states that on Motzai Shabbos Chanukah it is essential to light as soon as possible so that the main time to light not be lost. One time one of the mispallelim at the Gra delayed Maariv so much that the Gra told him he should even light Chanukah candles before reciting the Havdallah.
And now the inciden:
One Motzai Shabbos there were people taking a long time at Maariv in Shmoneh Esreh. Rav Salant did not wish to further delay the Chanukah lighting. He had an open window next to the Mizrach Vant where he sat. He went pack and leaped out of the window in order to ensure that he not delay past the zman of tichleh regel min a hshuk!
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One Response
although the chashuv Rabbi who seems to have an opinion on everything
here seems to be mistaken
this story took place with R’ Dovid Baharan, a well known Talmid Chacham in Shaarei Chesed.