Story: "Do You Know Who You Signed Against? He Cleansed My Mind for Ten Years Now!" / Wondrous Stories
A Wondrous Story: Why Did the Deceased Father Appear in a Dream to All Eight of His Children During the Shiva?
A Jew named Ami Weizman, may his light shine, who was an eyewitness to the event, recently related an awe-inspiring story. These words were told during a special chaburah (gathering) that takes place every Thursday night at the "Nachalei Netzach" Yeshiva in the Mea Shearim neighborhood. This shaking incident reveals a glimpse of the wondrous conduct of Rabbi Berland shlit"a and the immense power of a Pidyon Nefesh (redemption of the soul) in the Upper Worlds.
A Chilling Revelation in a Dream
The amazing turning point in the story occurred on the second day of the Shiva (seven days of mourning). On the morning of that day, all eight children woke up from their sleep completely shaken. They looked at each other in great panic, and soon the chilling reason became clear: they had all dreamt the exact same dream that very night.
In the dream, their deceased father appeared and addressed them with an unequivocal demand. "Return the money to the tzaddik immediately!" the father cried out in the dream, explaining the reason: "The Pidyon that you gave to the tzaddik is sorely missing for me in Heaven!"
The terrified sons hurried to return the Pidyon money to Rabbi Berland shlit"a, now understanding the magnitude of the spiritual action that had been accomplished for their father. This story, which joins several other similar stories from reliable sources, illustrates just how far the actions of the tzaddik are beyond our comprehension, and how the Pidyon Nefesh accompanies and protects a person even in the World of Truth.
A Cry from the Crowd
The worried brother rushed to Rabbi Berland shlit"a to beg for a salvation. When he arrived, it was very difficult for him to approach the Rav, as he was surrounded by a massive crowd of people. Since it was a true situation of pikuach nefesh (life or death), he did not wait and shouted to the Rav from afar: "Rabbi shlit"a! My brother and his son are in great danger!"
Rabbi Berland shlit"a heard his cry and answered him immediately: "Bring a Pidyon Nefesh of such-and-such amount." The Jew hurried to do as the Rav said and brought the Pidyon Nefesh as requested. Afterwards, Rabbi Berland shlit"a himself arrived at the hospital and entered the room where the wounded were lying. The sight was unbearable; the heads of the wounded were swollen to twice their normal size.
A Promise Against All Odds
Rabbi Berland shlit"a stood in the room and began to recite The Tikkun HaKlali together with the public with tremendous spiritual awakening. At the end of the recitation, Rabbi Berland shlit"a declared with absolute certainty: "In three weeks, they will be standing on their feet." To the doctors who heard this, the promise sounded like a joke, as their medical condition was critical and left little room for hope.
But the words of a tzaddik do not return empty. The Jew who told the story concluded his words with great emotion: The immense wonder indeed came true in full! Exactly as Rabbi Berland shlit"a had promised, after three weeks the two were completely healed and stood on their feet. Baruch Hashem (Thank God), today they are healthy and strong by the grace of Hashem, blessed be He, serving as a living testimony to the power of a tzaddik.
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