Someone asked Chatam Sofer the secret to his success in studying the Torah. "I became a Talmid Chacham in five minutes," he said. "Really?" asked a man, who was clearly impressed.

"Yes, really," said Chatam Sofer. "All those five minutes that go to waste in the course of one's lifetime, I simply made sure to maximize on them. That is why I say I became a Talmid Chacham in five minutes. Five minutes of learning here and there amount to a substantial amount of time, and are conducive to learning.

In his speech, Rabbi Sherer pulled out from his wallet a copy of an order issued November 23, 1940. It was from the German High Commander I. A. Eckhardt in which he addressed the German Army in Poland. Rabbi Shere always carried it with him. In it, Eckardt commands that the Eastern European Jews, or the Ostjuden as they were known, must not be allowed to escape because they comprise the majority of the rabbis and Talmud teachers. If the Talmud Lehrer escapes, warns the Nazi commander, this will be enough to bring about the downfall of the world's Jewry, not sparing even the American Jewry.

Reb Isser Yechezkel Abrahamski was inches from death in Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. He was barely responding, and the hospital's director, Professor Mayer encouraged the Talmidim who were staying with Abramhamski to recite Divrei Torah out loud near him so that he could hear the verses. Although there was no visible reaction in his physical state, the monitoring equipment indicated that these periods of learning strengthened and energized him.