From the Wisdom of Rav Avraham Shapira

The following is a loose translation of a story that Rabbi Eitan Eisman related in the Komemiut parsha sheet (vol. 70):

Once a woman came to the beit din (rabbinical court), and before the judges said to her husband, "You divorced me." In such a case, according to Jewish law (Even HaEzer 17), we believe the woman.

However, the case seemed strange to the judges. The judges were perplexed, and they were not sure if they should believe her. One of the judges was HaRav Ovadiah Yosef (may he live a long and good life), and he said immediately, "Call Rav Avrum Shapira."

Rav Shapira entered and heard the problem. He turned to the woman and said, "Tell me, when you married your husband you circled him seven times. When you divorced him how many times did you circle him?" The lady replied, "Three times."

"Thank you very much," said the Rav. "You were never divorced, since there is no such custom.

In this way the Rav, with his great wit, saved the rabbinical court from a conundrum.

Yichus

At last week's gathering at Merkaz HaRav, one of the rabbis that spoke was Rav Eitan Eisman. Rav Eisman was the director of the Chief Rabbinate when Rav Shapira zt"l was Chief Rabbi. He had a lot of great stories to tell about Rav Shapira, including the following:

Rabbi Shapira had sons that had reached the age to get married, and he was trying to find them suitable brides. He asked a somebody if he knew of anyone suitable, and the person asked the Rav exactly what kind of girl is he talking about. The Rav responded that the girl must have middot tovot, good character traits. The person than inquired if the Rav also required that the girl have yichus, a prestigious family line. Rav Shapira replied using his great humor saying,"You bring the girl with good middot, and I'll bring the yichus!"