Nachman Shabsai OB"M - post from 7/28/09

HH

There are amazing stories about Nachman Shabsai that I heard, they are trying to write them down and make a book B"H.

First I would like to remind you of a previous post, that during the week of the mourning for N"S the Daf Yomi spent 4 days learning about very very holy tzadikim who were extremely fat (Bava Metzia 83b - 86 see Tosfos there).

Here is one story:

   During Sfiras Hu-Omer (if I recall correctly) N"S was hospitalized. He had many many visitors to the extent that minyanim would convene prayers there and eventually the hospital refused to put up with them. One person told me that when he arrived at the hospital to visit N"S and asked the nurse where to find him, the nurse knew his room number by heart, and asked, "what is he some type of admu"r?" An arab man who was in the hospital told one of my friends that he had been prepared to commit suicide until N"S talked him out of it. A few similar amazing tidbits come to mind, maybe I"ll be zoche to write them later.

   The hospital put him on a diet of: cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, water (and maybe one other thing). Once he asked my friend M"O to get him some wafers, Mordichai told him that N"S had to keep his diet, N"S told M"S: you think I need you to get wafers, Hashem Yisborach can get them for me a different way. Shortly afterwards and arab youth was walking by - eating wafers. N"S asked him if he could have some, without a word the boy walked over and gave N"S the whole bag.

    Later, in middle of the night, a nurse saw the empty bag of wafers near N"S and berated and rebuked him for not keeping his diet. N"S told her that he need lafah (something similar to schwarma) the nurse told him that he was crazy, how was he going to get lafa in middle of the night. N"S told her that H"Y was able to do everything. Just then the phone rang it was an American friend asking if he could come visit. N"S told him for sure, and to bring some lafa, the friend arrived with the lafa and 100 shekel for N"S.

another story:

   N"S once got on a bus and sat in the back. He started complaining that he was hungry, famished. People were disgusted, slowly they left the back of the bus and made their way to the front. One woman began yelling at N"S how dispicable he was, that he should go on a diet.... N"S took it all quietly as the woman let it all out. Before N"S got off the bus N"S began to bless the woman with blessing after blessing....

another story:

   Once at a chasuna (there's a whole story how he got there but I don't remember it well enought to write down, it's something like taking a "special" taxi from Yerushalayim to Beis Shemesh even though he hadn't any money, when they arrived they quickly got the money, M"O who was with him also raised 200 shekel and found that N"S had already paid, N"S took 100 from M"S and gave it to someone as charity (he supported many people and often gave all his money to charity)) he was told that a few feet away there was a free bus that would take him home. N"S said H"Y is everywhere and that he didn't have to budge. In the end someone pulled up right next to N"S and drove him home to the door.

these are just some of many stories that I have recently heard.

Great blessings of Na Nach Nachmu Nachman Meuman!