A Story from Soviet Russia: When the Agents Promised the Rav Would Not Return, and 3 More Stories

An amazing story from the days of the Iron Curtain in Russia. Government agents promised that our Rebbe would never set foot on their soil again, but a month later, he appeared in the exact same hotel, without anyone recognizing him.

A Story from Soviet Russia: When the Agents Promised the Rav Would Not Return

The pious tzaddik, Rabbi Shabtai Horowitz zt"l, was known for his deep and wondrous connection to our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. He used to express himself regarding the events and miracles surrounding the Rav with words of awesome majesty, calling them "Baal Shem Tov's ma'asiyos" (stories of the Baal Shem Tov).

Pure Faith Beyond Any Doubt

When people asked him what he did with all the questions and perplexities that sometimes arose regarding the conduct of the tzaddik, he had a decisive answer. He used to say that he had a special cup in which he hid all the questions, and he simply did not deal with them at all. Fortunate is he who merited such pure and simple emunah (faith).

This connection was also expressed in the fact that in his old age, our teacher the Rav shlit"a changed his [Rabbi Shabtai's] name to "Mordechai." From that day onward, Rabbi Shabtai was meticulous about this, treating the minor as the major, and refused to be called up to the Torah unless they called him by the new name the Rav had given him.

The Threat of the Government Agents in Russia

A wondrous story occurred with him when he once stayed in a hotel in Russia during the difficult days of the Iron Curtain, when the country was completely closed off. In those days, the Soviet Russian company "Intourist" operated as a government agency supposedly designed to welcome guests from outside the country. In practice, their role was to cling to them and supervise that they did not visit anywhere other than the pre-approved sites.

During his stay there, agency personnel approached him, showed him the name of our teacher the Rav shlit"a, and asked him aggressively, "Do you know this Jew?" Afterward, they declared with absolute confidence and arrogance: "He will never set foot on Russian soil again!"

The Return of the Rav Right Under the Authorities' Noses

However, Hashem is the One who made, makes, and will make all deeds, and He alone determines who will come to Russia and who will not. The decrees of the Soviet government agents did not stand the test of reality against the will of the Creator of the world.

Just one month later, our teacher the Rav shlit"a arrived in Russia once again. To everyone's surprise, he stayed in the exact same hotel where the agents who promised he would not return were located. Miraculously and beyond all natural logic, not a single government official recognized him.

This story illustrates how the tzaddikim walk through the world above nature, and how the eyes of the wicked are blinded from seeing when Hashem spreads His protection over His faithful servants.

A Wondrous Story: The Tzaddik Stands Fearlessly in Front of His Own Wanted Poster

One of the prominent Breslov chassidim shared a personal and breathtaking testimony of what his own eyes saw firsthand during one of the trips where he accompanied our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. The story illustrates the immense level of bitachon (trust in Hashem) of the tzaddik, who is not afraid of any flesh and blood.

The Picture at the Airport

It was when the Rav's entourage arrived at the border crossing in one of the airports. Suddenly, the chassid was amazed to see a large, clear picture of our teacher the Rav shlit"a displayed prominently on site. The picture was presented as part of a wanted list, with a clear message that this Jew was highly wanted, and anyone who saw him was requested to hand him over immediately to the authorities. His heart skipped a beat in the face of the danger hovering in the air.

Trust Above Nature

At that tense moment, the Rav shlit"a suddenly appeared, accompanied by a large group of students. To everyone's surprise, the Rav stood right in front of his own picture, without any fear or hesitation. He approached calmly and peacefully, handed his passport to the immigration officer, and stood there without any fear.

The officer examined the passport, and despite the large picture displayed right in front of him, the Rav crossed the border safely and completely unharmed. This event left a profound impression on all those present, who saw tangibly how a true tzaddik lives with complete faith and fears nothing in the world, except Hashem alone.

An Amazing Story: Eight Consecutive Hours of Dveikus (Devotion) at the Holy Tziyon

One of the Breslov Chassidim related a tremendous spiritual experience that he merited to see with his own eyes. It was during one of the special journeys where he accompanied Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. During that trip, the Chassid was exposed to the Rav's immense dveikus (devotion) and his incomprehensible connection to the tzaddik.

Eight Hours of Dveikus

When they arrived at the holy Tziyon (gravesite), a wondrous sight unfolded before his eyes. He saw Morinu HaRav shlit"a prostrate himself upon the holy Tziyon and remain lying there for about eight consecutive hours, without any break. The dveikus and bitul (self-nullification) were so immense that the Chassid could not hide his amazement at the superhuman strength revealed before him.

The Secret of Connection to the Tzaddik

Afterward, when he had the opportunity to speak with the Rav, he approached and asked in immense wonder: "Rabbi Eliezer, how does one do this? How is it possible to stay like that for so many hours?"

Morinu HaRav shlit"a looked at him, and answered him with special pleasantness and sweetness: "You study the books of our holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman), how is it even possible to part from such a place?"

This answer illustrates more than anything the intensity of the Rav shlit"a's connection to our holy Rebbe. It teaches us that one who truly lives and breathes the Torah of the tzaddik feels such a deep connection that he is incapable of disconnecting from the source of holiness.

A Story of Holy Fire: Ten Hours in the Frost of Uman Without a Coat

The Chassidic Rav, Rabbi Y. D. Rubinstein shlit"a, told of a unique night in the month of Cheshvan, while he was at the holy Tziyon of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in Uman. Together with him was a large group of Breslov Chassidim. That night, a tremendous, bone-chilling cold prevailed in the area. Even though everyone was well-dressed in many layers, with heavy coats and gloves, they literally shivered from the fierce cold that penetrated to the bone.

In contrast, Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a behaved in a completely wondrous manner. The Rav prostrated himself on the holy Tziyon throughout the entire night, for about ten consecutive hours. To the immense surprise of those present, the Rav stayed in the freezing cold without any coat, and did not even have a sweater on his body.

A Face Burning Like Fire

In the middle of the night, when the cold reached its peak, several Breslov Chassidim became very worried about the Rav's well-being. They wanted to approach and place a tallis over him to warm him at least a little. However, when they got closer to him, an amazing sight was revealed to their eyes. They saw that the Rav's face was burning like a flaming fire, and he did not feel the fierce cold around him at all. The fire of dveikus and holiness warmed him completely.

Four Hours on the Snow

Another thrilling testimony was given by the Chassidic Rav, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Brenner shlit"a. He related that he saw with his own eyes Morinu HaRav shlit"a staying for four consecutive hours while lying directly on the frozen snow that covered the holy Tziyon.

To understand the magnitude of the wonder, one must remember the weather conditions in Ukraine. Anyone who wants to feel and understand what this means should try standing outside for even just ten minutes in a temperature of minus twenty degrees. Such cold is almost unknown in the Holy Land, where temperatures rarely drop below minus one or two degrees, and it can be experienced mainly in the United States or Eastern Europe.

These stories illustrate a little of the magnitude of the holiness and immense dveikus of Morinu HaRav shlit"a, whose burning fire of love for Hashem within him conquers even the forces of nature.

From Issue 79 — Parashas Va'eschanan

From the series "A Tzaddik Rules in the Fear of God" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" publications