Harav Asher Perlow of Stolin, the son of the Bais Aharon of Karlin
The Rebbe, Rav Asher Perlow of Stolin l''wevf, was born on the 2nd day of Tamuz 1827, f''twz fenz 'a to Harav Aharon of Karlin, the author of the Bais Aharon. His mother Chava was the daughter of Harav Mordechai of Kremnitz the son of the Zlotchover Magid, Rav Yechiel Mechel, the son of Rav Yitzchok of Drohobich, a talmid of the Baal Shem Tov. He was known as the "Yunger Rebbe" among Stoliner Chassidim, since he was Rebbe while his father Reb Aharon, the Beis Aharon, was still alive. Reb Asher resided in the city of Stolin and his father Reb Aharon resided in Karlin. After the passing of his father oeiq a''eh a''lxz Reb Asher became the sole leader but he was Rebbe for a little over a year. He passed away at the young age of 45, while resting in the resort town of Triskowitz. In a nearby city, Druhobitch, there was a plague, and people were forbidden to enter the city. Reb Asher was determined to be a sacrifice and he snuck into the city and the plague ended b''lxz a` e''h. He left over his Rebbetzin Sarah Devorah, the daughter of Hatzadik Reb Elimelech the Rebbe of Grodzisk, the father of Harav Klonimus Kalman, the Chovas Hatalmidim of Piaceczna. He also left over his son Harav Yisrael the Yenuka, who was only 4 and a half years old, and two daughters.
Rescues his Chosid from bankruptcy and brings him back to wealth
One of the prominent Stoliner Chassidim, Reb Asher, from the city of Turov, near Stolin, was the brother of Harav Aharon Feivel, the Rav of Stolin. Reb Asher ran a very successful shipping business. He owned a fleet of ships that delivered merchandise from Kiev to Turov. There were many Stoliner Chassidim in Kiev since the parnassah was easier there, and Reb Asher had an office with workers in Kiev, as well as in Turov.
One winter, the weather turned very cold, and the river froze. The ships were left at sea with all their merchandise intact, having to wait until the river would defrost. Usually, it would gradually defrost and the ships would not be harmed. However, that year, the weather suddenly became warm, and the river thawed right away. A strong rain followed and caused massive flooding. Reb Asher’s ships could not withstand the pressure of the intense tides and started to break apart. All the merchandise in the ship washed away, and Reb Asher was now in debt to all his suppliers.
Reb Asher sent a letter from Turov to his brother Rav Aharon Feivel in Stolin and requested that he deliver the message to the Rebbe Rav Aharon in Karlin. However, Rav Aharon Feivel showed it instead to the Yunger Rebbe, Rav Asher of Stolin, the son of the Rebbe, who read the letter with great concern. The Yunger Rebbe said: “We find in the Talmud a connection between parnassah and the splitting of the Red Sea. Just like no one could predict that Hashem would split the sea, so too, parnassah is unpredictable!” The Rebbe told Aharon Feivel to write to his brother that he should travel to Kiev, and Hashem would help him.
Reb Asher was a chosid and had Emunas Chachamim, traveled to Kiev, and came to the shul of the Stoliner chassidim, where he was welcomed with great warmth. One day after his arrival he was walking in the market and met an old acquaintance who said to Reb Asher: “I’m so glad that you are here. I need a fleet of ships to deliver a large shipment of lumber. I know that you have a fleet of ships, and you will earn a lot of money from this deal.” That dealer didn’t know that Reb Asher had lost of all his ships. Reb Asher said he would take care of the matter because he knew where to rent a fleet of ships. His friend gave him a down payment, which Reb Asher used to rent the fleet of ships. Reb Asher made a nice profit from this deal, and from then on, he regained back his wealth and repaid all of his debts. This was the Krias Yam Suf that the Rebbe had predicted!
The strange dream ‘of the greatness of Reb Asher of Stolin
Two chassidim of the Sosnovtzer Rebbe in Poland were best friends and always together. One day, one of the friends passed away, and the other felt all alone. A few months later, he dreamed his friend was running. He asked him: “Where are you running to?” The friend answered him: “I heard they are crowning a new Tzaddik in heaven, and I want to be present at the crowning.” “Who is the Rebbe?” “Rav Asher from Stolin,” was the answer; and then he woke up.
That next morning the Sosnovtzer chosid visited his Rebbe to tell him about the dream. When he arrived in Sosnovitz, he went straight to the Rebbe’s house. After he explained what had happened, the Rebbe put his head down for a few minutes and afterward looked up and told him: "It is a true dream, but I beg you never to tell anyone about it."
A few years later, this chosid moved to Mezritch, and Rav Asher of Stolin visited the town. The chosid noticed that the Rebbe was being honored like a king, and suddenly his dream came back to him. He could no longer restrain himself, and he ran towards Rav Asher to tell him of his dream. Rav Asher waved his hands and said: “let go of your foolishness!” Suddenly, the chosid reminded himself that his Rebbe had told him never to speak about the dream, and he walked away, but he realized the dream was true and that Rav Asher was a real king.
