Rabbi Bloom ran a Talmud class at Yeshiva. He was always so involved in the text being studied that he never looked up from his books. Often, when he called up a student for translation and explanation, without realizing it, he chose the same student day after day. But out of respect, the students wouldn’t point this out to him.
Hymie had already been called up on three consecutive days when the Rabbi once again said “Hymie Himmelfarb, come up here and translate and explain.”
Hymie replied, “Himmelfarb is absent today, Rabbi.”
“OK,” said the Rabbi, “why don’t you come up here and translate and explain instead.”
Credit: David Minkoff, A Word In Your Eye