Hitbodedut of the Chatam Sofer

B"H


The Chatam Sofer kept the Minhag (custom) to study the Torah commentary of the Ramban (Nachmanides) every Friday night. He did so alone and refused to let anyone in his study. Not even his best students were allowed in.


One day, a few of those students met and one of them was chosen to sneak into the room before the Chatam Sofer would start his Parsha studies. The student hid behind the curtain and his Rabbis didn't notice him and started studying the Ramban. Suddenly the entire room was filled with such a strong light that the student could hardly keep his eyes open. The student got frightened and the Chatam Sofer realized that something was wrong. He pushed the curtain away, discovered his student and threw him out of the room.