*****The Apta Rav ascends to Heaven to help his Chosid marry off his daughter*****
The heilige Apta Rav, Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel, the Ohev Yisrael, had a loyal chosid who had a daughter to marry off. He was very poor and had to come up with 1300 rubles for dowry and wedding expenses. The chosid came to the Apta Rav for help. However, he didn’t outline the details of his predicament to the Rebbe. His Emunah in the Tzaddik was so great that he believed the Rebbe was already aware of his situation and that the Rebbe would extend a brocho as he saw fit. That was indeed what happened. The Rebbe told the chosid, “Travel to the large city of Iasi, Yas in Romania, and there you will find what you need.” The chosid was a fervent believer in the Rebbe and didn’t blink an eye. He took his leave of the Rebbe and left to the marketplace to find a wagon that was going to Iasi. He found a Jewish garment merchant who was heading to Iasi and who agreed to take him along. In Iasi, the hour was late and he desperately needed a place to daven Shacharis, since the local shul was closed. A kindly shopkeeper noticed his predicament and invited him to his home, to daven there, and have something to eat.
The chosid thanked him very warmly for his hospitality and they left together to the man’s home. The man's wife prepared some food while the chosid davened, and when the chosid finished davening they sat down together to eat. At the table the man asked the chosid the reason he had come to Iasi. The chosid answered, "I have a daughter to marry off and I have no money for the wedding, not to mention for the dowry. I am a chosid of the Apta Rav, who advised me to come here to Iasi, where he said Hashem will help me.”
The man gave a smile from ear to ear and asked how much he needed for the wedding and dowry. The chosid answered, “1300 ruble should cover everything.” The man told the chosid to wait patiently until he returned. When he reappeared, he took out 1300 ruble and handed it to the chosid. The man could not have been more shocked had the money fallen from the sky into his lap.
The chosid was unbelieving at his good fortune and asked, “How could you give me such a huge amount of money when you don’t even know me?” The host answered, “Let me tell you my history, and you'll understand well. I have a daughter who nebach suffered a nervous breakdown and started acting violently. I had to hire a woman to restrain her, because otherwise she would break almost anything in her sight. One day when I came to visit her, she picked up a bottle and threw it directly at my face. The bottle shattered and cut a deep gash on my forehead and cheek, and I was hurried to the hospital. While I was being treated there, I dozed off and had an amazing vision in a dream. I saw that I had passed on to the next world and saw a large, packed ballroom which I wanted to enter. A guard stopped me and said I needed permission from the Apta Rav. I waited for a while, and when the Apta Rav came I approached him and begged him to admit me. I also asked him for a brocho that my face should heal and for my daughter to return to normalcy, in body and spirit. The Apta Rav answered: “I will let you into the ballroom on one condition. I have a chosid who has to marry off his daughter; if you promise to provide him with everything he needs for the wedding and a dowry, I promise that you and your daughter will be healthy. I gave my solemn word to the terms, sealed with a tekias khaf handshake. The Apta Rav took me into the ballroom and pointed out his chosid. He told me to memorize the chosid’s face. At that point I woke up. I suddenly felt that my cheek was feeling better and was no longer painful. I left the hospital. When I came home I noticed to my amazement that my daughter was acting normal again. Clearly, the Apta Rov's brocho was fulfilled for all to see! Yet I had pangs of conscience in the aftermath. Where would I find this chosid to help him marry off his daughter? Today when I saw you climb down from the wagon downtown, I recognized you immediately as being the chosid that the Apta Rav had pointed out to me in my prophetic dream. Still, since the stakes were so high, I had to be 100% sure that you were the one I was destined to meet and help. Then when you told me that you have a daughter to marry off, and that the Apta Rav sent you here, I was positive that everything was converging. Therefore, I fulfilled my promise to the Apta Rav and gave you the money for your wedding. Now doesn't everything make perfect sense?" Both men rejoiced at the miraculous salvation that the Apta Rav had performed for them by ascending to Shomayim to arrange a shidduch for his chosid's daughter. Such interventions --- are reserved for matters of the utmost urgency.
