(Courtesy of Biale Bnei Brak) Barely a year has passed since the Biale Rebbe’s last visit to New Jersey, and since then there have been dozens of miracle stories resulting from his blessings during that visit. Now, anticipation again pulses among New Jersey residents who look forward to the Rebbe’s return to the state.
What is it about the Biale Bnei Brak Rebbe that attracts thousands to him? What propels hundreds of people to stand on line for hours for a meeting with the Rebbe?
It’s long past midnight and the waiting room is still full of people waiting to see the Biale Rebbe. A look at the crowd is very interesting: dozens of people flew in from all over the U.S.—doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, financiers, bank officials, Young Israel rabbis—people who would not be expected to come.
We met a senior doctor who lives on Long Island. The doctor, with his knitted yarmulke, didn’t look like a student of the Biale yeshiva. To our amazement, he relayed his wondrous story: Eight months ago my wife went to a regular checkup during pregnancy and the doctor said the baby’s organs didn’t look good, that there was a chance of Down’s syndrome. My wife, in her eighth month, called me in panic. I was lost; I didn’t know what to do. Suddenly I remembered that last year I was by the Biale Rebbe of Bnei Brak. I called the Rebbe’s gabbai and the Rebbe remembered us and listened as we told him the doctor’s words. After a few moments, he said decisively: “Tell your wife she shouldn’t worry. She will have a healthy, whole baby.” I said amen and told my wife, but understandably the worry didn’t disappear. After two weeks, before she went for another check-up, we called the Rebbe again and he said, “I told you, everything will be alright, don’t worry.” Baruch Hashem, Erev Succos we had a healthy whole baby, as per the Biale Rebbe’s blessing.
We met a lawyer from Los Angeles who told us an incredible story: I make my livelihood as a lawyer for damage claims. Every year, I need at least one big case that will provide for my living throughout the entire year. On my last visit with the Rebbe, I complained about this situation and the Rebbe declared: “Mr. _____, don’t worry! This year your parnasa will come in a miraculous way.”
A short while later, a woman comes to me with a sorrowful story. Her husband, who was a singer by profession, had a sore throat. The doctor prescribed him medication and sent him on his way. After about a month the pain returned, and once again the doctor prescribed him the same medication. When the pain re-appeared for the third time, the doctor sent him the prescription via fax without even examining him. Another six months passed, and an acquaintance who met her husband mentioned that he didn’t look well. Unfortunately, the tests showed that he had stage 5 cancer. Not much could be done at that stage, and the man passed away after a few short months. This was an obvious classic case for a lawyer. I handled the damage claims against the doctor and we reached a decent arrangement that enabled me to charge a nice sum for my professional services. After the court case I called one of my lawyer friends to thank him for directing this case to me. The lawyer responded with a claim for a big percentage of my earnings. I was dumbfounded by his high claim and offered to meet and discuss it with him.
The very next day, I met with the lawyer and he exclaimed: “Good news for you, bad news for me!” I had no idea what he was talking about. The lawyer proceeded to tell me how he checked all his files and could not find anything about recommending me to this woman. This was getting more and more mysterious. I called the woman and this was her story: “I was at my beauty parlor in Beverly Hills and I poured my heart out to my hairdresser, telling her about my husband and the doctor. Behind us sat another woman, waiting her turn, and she announced, ‘I know of an excellent lawyer, his name is_____ and I have his details.’” Neither I nor the hairdresser had any idea who this woman was. She was my personal shaliach sent from heaven to provide me with a living, as the Biale Rebbe himself had promised.
Many stories go around about the power of the Biale Rebbe’s blessings. A couple from Great Neck, New York, came to the Rebbe concerned. They were married five years and they were expecting, but they were full of fear as the previous four pregnancies ended with, chas v’chalila, miscarriages, and the doctors said they had no chance of having children and advised them to adopt. The Rebbe read their names on the kvitel and said decisively, “With Hashem’s help you will have a healthy baby.” The Rebbe told them to take upon themselves resolutions in mitzvos and good deeds, and promised that he would attend the bris as the sandek of their healthy baby boy. And he did.
A Jew from Los Angeles, struck with leukemia, came, totally apprehensively, to the Rebbe shlita. The Rebbe told him he would be healed from his sickness and his cure would be to put on tefillin. Barely a year passed and he came back to the Rebbe showing his test results, proving that his body was completely free of the disease.
Businessmen attest that since receiving the Rebbe’s blessing their businesses flourished unbelievably. Barren couples had children after many years. People who’d been pursued by the court witnessed wondrous turnabouts. These and more are just a fraction of the miracles that people merited through the Rebbe’s blessings. It is not surprising that hundreds of people flock to the Rebbe’s door, awaiting his advice and blessing.
The Rebbe doesn’t rest for a moment. He has 15 biological children. The Rebbe spearheads the institutions Mishnas Shimon in Beitar Illit, Biale shuls and kollels in Bnei Brak, Jerusalem, Beitar Illit, Modi’in Illit, Ashdod and Beit Shemesh, and closest to the Rebbe’s heart, the Fund for Orphans and Widows, which functions under the Rebbe’s personal supervision. This special fund provides clothing, shoes, homey accommodations in the yeshiva dormitory, and even pocket money for the orphans studying in the Biale yeshivos. But most of all, the Rebbe takes these precious souls under his wing, opening his home for them and caring for their needs as only a father would. The Rebbe follows up on their learning and pairs them with private mentors. The Rebbe personally sees to it that they have new clothing before each holiday. Once, when the Rebbe returned from an overseas trip before Pesach, he went to visit the orphans straight from the airport, even before he saw his family, and gave each one money to buy clothing and gifts for Yom Tov, and only then did he go home.
Barely half a year has passed since the construction of the new building in Beitar Illit has commenced, and the building is almost complete. It will be ready to serve as the new beis midrash and beis haknesses for the Biale chasidim of Bnei Brak. The new building will also serve as a logistic center to provide aide and support for the many hundreds of orphans, widows and families in dire need.
The Rebbe is renowned for his acts of charity. Widows and orphans in need of assistance know to turn to his address for help. Every Erev Yom Tov trucks laden with goods are dispatched to provide the needy with everything they might need, including clothing, shoes, meat, fish, goodies and, of course, a hefty check, which brings a smile to their faces.
When the day ends in New York the phones start humming from Israel, with Jews from Israel on the line who need the Rebbe’s blessing and advice. When the Rebbe is in Israel, phone calls come from Los Angeles, New York, Miami and New Jersey, because all Jews are his children. Hundreds of emails arrive at the Rebbe’s secretariat, and the Rebbe devotes time every day to answering the questions that arrive from all corners of the world. He prays for each of them, either in his beis midrash, at holy sites or at his ancestors’ graves.
Parents from all parts of the world consult the Rebbe about education issues. Many times he provides surprising advice, which brings about a complete change to the entire household. Homes that were full of strife are now happy, peaceful homes. Countless cases of conflict between couples are solved following the Rebbe’s instructions. Even in hopeless circumstances peace is restored, thanks to the Rebbe’s immense investment and intervention.
One of the Rebbe’s “hobbies” is helping singles find their marriage partners. Many single boys and girls and parents of singles come to the Rebbe for his encouragement and blessing. But more than just offer his blessing, the Rebbe actively seeks marriage partners for them. Last summer, the Far Rockaway community residents were invited to an engagement party. Both the chasan and the kallah were already in their 30s. Only the couple in focus knew the real story, that were it not for the Biale Rebbe this happy occasion would never have happened. It was the Rebbe who encouraged and supported and even “pushed” the bond. The Rebbe dedicated countless hours to each one, until finally, at 3 a.m., another plate was broken, setting in motion another Jewish home to be built.
Now the residents of New Jersey can merit seeing the Rebbe again. During his visit, the Rebbe’s lodgings in New Jersey will be at the home of the honorable Thomas (Moish) Ackerman, at 602 S. Forest Drive, Teaneck.
A large crowd is expected to join the Rebbe at the oneg Shabbos tish, which he will conduct this Friday night, Parshas Vayikra, March 16, at the residence of Ami and Chavie Rosen, 210 N. Woodland Street in Englewood, at 8:30 p.m.
A special part of the tish will be when the Rebbe recites the Kiddush in a special nusach. It is a known fact to his chasidim that the time of Kiddush is a special time, with potential to bring about great salvation. Singing together at the tish moves the masses each time, as if they are hearing it for the first time. The assembled feel a “real taste of paradise” each time they experience a Shabbos gathering.
The following story was told firsthand by the Rav of a chasidic community in Monsey, New York: Eight years ago, my friends told me that the Bnei Brak Biale Rebbe was visiting Monsey and recommended that I get a blessing from him. I went in to the Rebbe with a kvittel with my name and those of my family. At that time I had three daughters, the youngest already six years old. The Biale Rebbe looked at my kvittel and asked me, “What’s with a boy?” I looked at the Rebbe and replied that “I’ll be delighted to have a son.” The Rebbe told me that the time hasn’t yet come for this blessing, but it will happen. That Friday night I participated in the Rebbe’s oneg Shabbos tish. There was a large crowd there enjoying the Rebbe’s singing and talking. Suddenly, the Rebbe looked around in all directions, as if he was searching for somebody, and when he saw me, he called me over, took a piece of fish with a bone from his portion, put it in my hand and said “Take a son” (a play on Yiddish/Hebrew words—in Yiddish a bone is called a “bein,” which is like the Hebrew word for son, “bein”). After the tish the Rebbe spoke to me and told me which extra things I should take on. The miracle took place immediately! Nine months later I stood outside the delivery room and phoned the Biale Rebbe in Bnei Brak (with apologies to my parents whom I phoned after the Rebbe):“Mazel tov,” I told the Rebbe. “It’s a boy!!!” “Mazel tov,” the Rebbe answered, “I know already!!!!”
Now, the residents of the New Jersey will also have this special opportunity. If you haven’t yet met the Rebbe and you are interested in making a personal appointment for advice, blessing or guidance, you can do this now by phoning the Rebbe’s personal English-speaking secretary, Reb Moshe Friedman, at 917-272-4045 or sending an email to bialebneibrak@gmail com.
