When HaGaon HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman was informed of the death of the Gadol HaDor, z’tl, on erev Shabbos he covered his face with both hands and sighed deeply as he said: “It’s a loss that can’t be replaced. There’s no one else like him.”

HaRav Bergman continued: “It seems to me that there wasn’t a Talmid Chacham like HaRav Chaim, z’tl, in recent generations. You could ask him about anything – anything – and he knew the answer.”

HaRav Bergman had a special connection to HaRav Chaim, z’tl, that began when they learned together as bochurim in Yeshivas Lomza. At the suggestion of the Chazon Ish, z’tl, they learned together as chavrusas for morning seder, afternoon seder and night seder. From time to time, the Chazon Ish would call them to his home and inquire about their progress.

A number of years ago, HaGaon HaRav Eliyahu Mann, a close talmid of HaRav Chaim, z’tl, asked him if the rumor is true that he learned all of Shas b’iyun with HaRav Meir Tzvi. HaRav Chaim, z’tl, responded that he doesn’t remember if he learned all of Shas with “Rebbe Meir”  but he remembers that he learned over 20 masechtos b’iyun with him.

Whenever HaRav Chaim, z’tl would meet “Rebbe Meir,” they would talk in limmud and reminisce about the Chazon Ish, z’tl, and the simcha on HaRav Chaim’s face would be apparent.

“During the time we learned in Lomza, it’s hard to describe what that period was like,” HaRav Bergman said. “It was the time of the establishment of the State and people were being swept away by all types of ideologies. Members of the underground tried to pull yeshivah bochurim to their cause. During that era, I learned with HaRav Chaim, z’tl b’chavrusah. We sat all day and learned and we didn’t occupy ourselves with anything else. We just sat and learned.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)