Once the Rizhiner visited the Apter Rav. The assembled crowd noticed that in addition to the enormous respect that the Apter accorded the Rizhiner, as was his custom, he also refused to eat as he normally did.
The Apter Rav explained: “What don’t you understand? Shabbat is the boss during the entire year, but when a distinguished guest arrives like Rosh Chodesh, Shabbat gives away the guest the shemonah esrei [amida prayer] of Mussaf. If an even more distinguished guest arrives, for example, Yom Tov, Shabbat gives up the entire prayer service for the guest. And certainly, if the most important guest arrives, [namely,] Yom Kippur, just as the guest doesn’t eat, the host also doesn’t eat.”
Nevertheless, the Savraner Rav asked the Apter Rav: “Is this possible? How is the great Apter Rav so deferential toward such a young man who is not learned and does not have the reputation of a gaon [genius]?”
The Apter answered him: “It is stated in the midrash: in the future temimim [=people of simple and wholesome faith] will sit together in Paradise with the Patriarchs [literally: fathers of the world]. This refers to someone who did not study Torah or Mishna.” And holding his beard, the Apter Rav screamed out: “I swear that the Midrash is referring to the holy Rizhiner!”
I.F.
Aizik Bronstein
