Editing Chaim Mordechai Isaac Hodakov (section)

==== An Outstanding Torah Scholar ====
Although it appears that he studied in gymnasium and only in the evening hours did he diligently engage in deep learning at 'Tiferes Bachurim', he managed to acquire extensive knowledge in learning and became an outstanding Torah scholar alongside meticulous work on his middos to such an extent that he never spoke a bad word about anyone, as R' Menachem Zigelboim brings in his book "Stories from the Rebbe's Room," in the name of the Gaon Rav Simcha Elberg, chairman of the Agudas HaRabbonim in the United States: "Rav Chodkov z"l was in control of himself. He was the distinct embodiment of one who reaches the level of self-mastery in the ideal sense of the term. Of course, he was an outstanding talmid chacham, with understanding in the scholarly sense, but in good middos he was truly a genius. One must know that it is not as difficult to memorize the entire Shas as it is to maintain all the good qualities that our Sages enumerated. Has anyone ever heard a single word of lashon hara coming from his mouth?! I myself spent many hours with him in private conversations, we talked about many topics and issues, and never - even in conversations that lasted for hours - did I hear a bad word from him about anyone."