The Story of the Trembling Encounter in Tiberias: "This is Not a Human

A group of soldiers from a special unit entered the inner sanctum and remained stunned: How did the Tzaddik know exactly where they were and what they did? A story of wonder about spiritual vision and the power of holiness.

A story of awe and majesty occurred in the period preceding the departure of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, into exile, while the Tzaddik was staying in the city of Tiberias.

At that time, a group of soldiers arrived at the place. These were not ordinary soldiers, but men belonging to a special, elite unit, who were not even wearing their military uniforms but arrived in civilian clothes. All of them were naturally strong and tough men, the type who are not afraid or impressed by anything.

One of those soldiers was observant of Torah and Mitzvos, and he was the one who influenced his friends to go in to see The Rav shlit"a, who was staying nearby.

The Yearning Overcame the Despair

When the soldiers arrived at the location, they saw a long line stretching from the entrance and realized there was no chance they would succeed in entering. Seeing this, they turned to leave just as they had come. However, Hashem put strong and intense yearning in their hearts to see the Tzaddik. They retraced their steps and asked the guard to do a kindness for them and let them in for just a few minutes.

The guard asked them to wait five minutes, and afterwards returned and brought them into the inner sanctum.

Immediately upon seeing the form of the Tzaddik, wrapped in a Tallit (prayer shawl), a terrifying dread fell upon them. The tough soldiers, whom nothing usually deters, all stood pressed against the wall, unable to open their mouths due to the immense awe. They stood silent for some time, until someone gathered courage and asked The Rav shlit"a: "May the Rav bless us."

"Everything is Written in the Gemara"

The Tzaddik responded immediately and said to them: "Certainly I am with you. I was with you the whole time when you were in such-and-such village... and I was with you in such-and-such place..."

The Rav began to list before them a series of places and incidents they had experienced, with immense and frightening precision. Everyone stood there in terrible fear from the intensity of the revelation of Godliness, realizing that there is a Creator and Leader of the world, and the world is not abandoned, and Hashem reveals everything to the Tzaddikim.

One of the group, who was stunned by these words, asked The Rav shlit"a: "From where does the Rav know this?"
The Tzaddik answered him: "It is written in the Gemara."
The soldier persisted and asked: "How is it written? And where?"

Then the Tzaddik answered and said in a voice hewing flames of fire:
"He who has never blemished [his covenant] – sees everything in the Gemara."

Afterwards, the soldiers left the room, and out of sheer emotion, they declared with wonder: "This is not a human – this is an angel of God."

From Issue 80 — Parshas Bereishis
From the series "A Tzaddik Rules through Fear of God" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" Newsletters