R’ Azriel Balter used to journey to the Apter Rav together with the Savraner Rav.
It was the Apter Rav’s custom to begin his Torah [discourse] by quoting a Midrash.
When R’ Azriel and the Savraner Rav left the tisch, R’ Azriel commented to the Savraner Rav: “The ‘Elderly one’ did not ‘hit the nail on the head’ with the Midrash today”.
“Indeed so,” replied the Savraner Rav, “the ‘Elderly one’ is greater than a midrash. Similar to when one enters a labyrinthine forest, he first ties a rope to a tree so that he can find his way back. So too is the holy Apter [Rav]. He ascends to the highest realms and risks never returning – thus he picks out a midrash as a path-marker for himself to enable him to return.”
Y.F.
Pinchas Landau