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In his memoirs Reb Aryeh wrote: I recall the early days, from 1905 onward, when it was granted me by the grace of the blessed Lord to go up to the holy land, and I came to Jaffa. There I first went to visit our great master R. Abraham Isaac Kook (of blessed memory), who received me with good cheer, as in was his hallowed custom to receive everyone. We talked together about themes of Torah study. After an early mincha he went out, as his hallowed custom was, to walk a bit in the fields and gather his thoughts; and following him on the way I plucked some branch or flower. Our great master was taken aback; and then he told me gently, “Believe me: In all of my days I have taken care never to pluck a blade of grass or flower needlessly, when it had the ability to grow or blossom. You know the teaching of the Sages than there is not a single blade of grass below, here on earth, which does not have a heavenly force (or angel) above telling it, Grow! Every sprout and leaf and grass says something, conveys some meaning. Every stone whispers some inner, hidden message in the silence. Every creation utters its song in praise of‘ the Creator.” His words which were spoken from his pure and holy heart engraved themselves deep within me. From that day on I began to feel a strong sense of compassion for every one of Hashem’s creatures. (baal tashchis, tzar balei chayim) (A Tzadik in Our Times)
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Rav Isser Zalman’s good-heartedness was not confined to human beings; he was attuned to the needs of all living creatures. Even as an elderly man, when going from his house to the yeshivah, he did not take the shortest route but went a longer, roundabout way. His talmidim asked him why he did this, when logic dictated that as a weak and elderly man who found walking difficult, he should prefer the shortest possible path. Rav Isser Zalman dismissed the question with a wave of his hand and made no reply. Eventually the reason for his behavior emerged, quite by chance. Chickens used to run back and forth scavenging for food, along the road that was the most direct route to the yeshivah. Rav Isser Zalman was concerned that if he walked that Way, the tapping of his stick would frighten the fowls and they would run away without having eaten. “I have no right to disturb the chickens,” he explained. Even when people tried to argue that his weakness and took precedence over the birds’ inconvenience, he remained unmoved. He adhered to his practice and continued taking the longer route. (tzar balei chaim) (In Their Shadow Volume 2)
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Rabbi Yitzchak Kessock told the following story, which encapsulates the love Rav Scheinberg had for even the smallest of the Almighty’s creatures. One time, when Reb Yitzchak walked into Rav Scheinberg’s apartment, he noticed that Rav Scheinberg was holding his tzitzis close to his face. The rosh yeshivah asked Reb Yitzchak to see if there was an ant on one of his talleisim, since it was hard for him to tell. Reb Yitzchak found a tiny creature climbing up one of Rav Scheinberg’s talleisim. Reb Yitzchak offered to get a tissue to dis- pose of it. But Rav Scheinberg asked for a paper cup instead. After Reb Yitzchak brought the cup to Rav Scheinberg, Rav Scheinberg said tolkniock the bug into the cup and bring it downstairs. There, Reb Yitzchak should gently set the bug free in the garden just out- side the apartment building. With one seemingly insignificant act of kindness to a tiny bug, Rav Scheinberg exemplified ”verachamav al kol maasav,” showing mercy and compassion in a manner most of us would never think of doing — and etching this memory and its lesson in a talmid’s heart. (Rav Scheinberg) (tzar balei chaim)
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A bachur who used to come to Reb Elyah’s hut in his later years to accompany him to the yeshivah to daven recounts, “Ordinarily, we would walk to the beis medrash along the straightest, most direct route. On one occasion, however, Reb Elyah led me on a lengthy, roundabout detour. I asked him the purpose of this divergent route. ” ‘Can’t you see? There is a long line of ants there! We mustn’t tread on the creations of Hashem (Reb Elya) (tzar balei chaim)
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Rabbi Dovid of Lelov was concerned about the needs of animals as well. One time when saw a driver whip his horse he said to him, ” If you only knew how to communicate with your horse, you would have no need to hit him. Is it fair and just to whip the horse because of your ignorance? Just ‘ think,” Rabbi Dovid said, “that one day this horse will take you before the Heavenly Tribunal for having whipped him. will you not be embarrassed to have to go to trial with a horse? (Not Just Stories By Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twersky) (tzar balei)
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One Rosh Hashanah, when Rabbi Dovid was at the court of the Seer of Lublin, he was noted to be absent from shul. The Seer did not want the shofar sounded until Rabbi Dovid was present,‘ and sent» people out to look for They found him with a sack of oats, feeding the horses, whose owners had all gone to shul for the services, and neglected their responsibilities to care for their animals. (Not Just Stories By Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twersky) (tzar balei, rosh hashana)
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After repaying his loan to the Chasam Sofer. ‘ a man took out a gorgeous esrog box to give him as a token of his appreciation. The Chasam Sofer examined it from all sides and effusively praised its beauty. his talmidim were shocked, knowing that accepting the box would be a classic transgression of the prohibition against taking interest. Noticing the look on their faces. the great man told them a story about his rebbe Harav Nosson Adler. Rav Adler was once waiting to be driven somewhere on a wagon. One of the horses pulled up lame, and the driver went to find a replacement. He came back with an ox, which he proceeded to hitch up to the wagon. Rav Adler immediately jumped out of the wagon and started dancing. He explained to the astonished driver that he was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to fulfill the command of not using kilayim, a forbidden animal combination, for pulling the wagon. “I can’t accept the box because it’s ribis. interest,” the Chasam Sofer said, “but l admired and praised it to appreciate what I’m giving up. This way the mitzvah will be mehudar.” (esrog, ribis, kilaim of animals) (Impact Volume Three)
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Leah Grossbard and Rivka Baumgarten were talking on the sidewalk when they saw R’ Arye Levin waiting for them. They stopped talking and moved away, figuring that they were blocking him. He told them he was not waiting for them. He was waiting for a kitten to finish eating its milk, he didn’t want to walk by and startle it. The women said they didn’t even notice the cat. But R’ Arye Levin was able to see with his heart. 107 tzar balei chaim (Touched by a Story Volume Two)
