An extraordinary story involving HaGaon HaRav Sholom Ber Sorotzkin, Rosh Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, a prominent Brazilian philanthropist and a remarkable Rosh Hashanah dream has been generating intense discussion in South America.
The episode comes following HaRav Sorotzkin’s unprecedented Rosh Hashanah visit to Uman, where he stayed near the tzion of Reb Nachman of Breslov. The trip came after a group of major philanthropists pledged millions of dollars to support thousands of avreichim and talmidim in the Ateres Shlomo network, on the condition that the Rosh Yeshiva spend Rosh Hashanah with them in Uman.
Shortly after Yom Tov ended, one of the major donors involved in the initiative — a wealthy Brazilian philanthropist — urgently contacted HaRav Sorotzkin and asked him to come to Brazil.
At the time, HaRav Sorotzkin was at the airport in Istanbul and was scheduled to continue to New York as part of his fundraising trip. Following the unexpected request, he changed his plans and boarded the first available flight to Brazil.
When HaRav Sorotzkin arrived at the philanthropist’s office, the donor gathered his Jewish employees and related what he said had occurred on the first night of Rosh Hashanah.
The philanthropist said that although he had personally been unable to travel to Uman, he had a vivid dream in which he saw HaRav Sorotzkin standing beside the tzion of Reb Nachman with a Tehillim open before him, crying.
In the dream, the philanthropist approached the Rosh Yeshiva and asked why he was crying.
HaRav Sorotzkin responded that he was far from his yeshiva, his talmidim and his family, and that Uman was not where he was accustomed to spending Rosh Hashanah. He explained that he had made the journey because several generous Yidden had undertaken major financial commitments to support the avreichim, despite the personal difficulty involved in traveling so extensively.
The philanthropist then related that Reb Nachman of Breslov suddenly appeared in the dream and told HaRav Sorotzkin, “HaKadosh Baruch Hu runs the world.”
According to the donor, Reb Nachman then turned toward him and told him that he should make a special effort to bring joy to the Rosh Yeshiva.
The dream then ended.
Deeply moved by the experience, the philanthropist told HaRav Sorotzkin that he had decided to contribute an additional $500,000 from his own funds, above and beyond his original commitment, for the support of Ateres Shlomo’s avreichim and yeshivos.
The remarkable account has since spread rapidly by word of mouth in Brazil and elsewhere in South America, coming just days after HaRav Sorotzkin’s unusual Rosh Hashanah journey to Uman.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
6 Responses
Rav wolfson zatzl once commented..that in the bright is a concept of MAKOM..each place attracts certain neshomos..however there are unique spots of MAKOM that every neshomo can feel such as the kosel , miron..he paused and said ” It seems uman”.
I plan to go to the siyum hashas..I thought to myself is the siyum takes place in Toronto wud I still go ? Not sure..
The fact that so many hidden from huge ballerina madregah to those who are not really observant feel such a connection and ruchnius surge is “himelish”
AND EVEN THE SOROTZKIN STORY is a nes that defies logic
Sorry or typos I should read my own comment before I post
R. Sholem Ber is the man…maybe he can now visit Lubavitch and become their next Rebbe…after all, he has a Chabadsker name, Sholom Ber, like the fifth Habad Lubavitch leader.
This whole story reminds me of Shmuel, the Yom Kippur Drunk.
So, Rosh yeshiva tells him in a dream that he is suffering from traveling to Ukraine and in response he orders the ry to fly to Brazil?! No respect for talmidei chachamim.
Maybe families and friends of yeshiva students could go to work and pay for the yeshiva?
Instead of hearing about R. Shulem Ber’s adventures, escapades, trips, fundraising, how about some Torah for a change? Does he ever say a shiur?? A shmuez? A rosh yeshiva presumably has some good Torah, no?