Rabbi Lazer Brody, who for years has been a steadfastly loyal pupil of Rav Shalom Arush, told me that though many people know that Rav Arush is a tzaddik, they still don't know what level of tzaddik he is - his spiritual powers are simply awesome.
 
The following two stories prove it.
 
I heard from Rav Dror Moshe Cassuto that there was a large gathering of people, here in Israel, several years ago. Thousands of people came to participate and hear a panel of distinguished Rabbis speak.
 
The organizer of this event had the merit to drive Rabbi Dovid Stern from Bnei Brak to the gathering. Rabbi Dovid Stern is the son of one of the thirty-six hidden tzaddikim of our generation.  On the way, in the car, the organizer of the event remarked to Rabbi Dovid Stern, that there is someone who makes CD's, his name is Shalom Arush.  He said, 'I simply cannot stand to hear that man's voice.'
 
Rabbi Dovid looked the man squarely in the eyes and said: 'You obviously don't know who you are speaking about. Rabbi Shalom Arush has achieved something than no human being has achieved since the creation of the world.'
 
If you have any doubt about it - read this:
 
My chavrusa (study partner) told me this story. He heard it from Rav Dror.
 
There was a man living here in Israel. He was a non-religious Jew whose wife divorced him. The man was given a terrible judgment in court. He had to pay almost his whole salary to his ex-wife every month. As time went on, he became more and more depressed.  It was bad enough to lose his family, but to work like a dog for the rest of his life and have nothing for himself - that was too much to bear. He decided he would end his life.
 
He took his car out on the highway. He put his foot all the way down on the accelerator and thought that eventually he would crash into something - then his suffering would be over.
 
The car raced up to 90mph...then 100mph...then 115mph - When all of a sudden, the young man saw one of Rabbi Shalom Arush's CD's sitting next to him.  One of Rabbi Shalom Arush's students had given it to him at an intersection. He had never listened to it.
 
Seconds away from disaster, his hand inexplicably reached for the CD. He thought that if he listened to it as he was leaving this world at least he would go out listening to something holy. He was hoping that this would help him in the next world. He shoved the disk into the player and hit the button a few times. By now he was flying at 120 mph. He didn't care about listening to the disk from the beginning. It started someone in the middle.
 
The very first words that he heard Rabbi Shalom say were: "WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF?"
 
He immediately slowed his car down and pulled over. He played the whole disk from beginning to end; went and met Rabbi Shalom; told him his story; didteshuva (repentance) and has been a human flame for Hashem since that day.
 
When  I heard this story, I felt so proud to be a student of Rav Arush. I immediately told the story to my wife and later that day to my son.
 
I began to wonder about the story. It sounded so amazing...so miraculous. I tried to imagine Rav Arush's reaction when he heard the story. He probably just listened and when the man thanked him for his life - just smiled - not wanting to take credit for what he did.
 
We cannot imagine what we have in Rabbi Shalom Arush. We are so blessed...so fortunate to know him.
 
The young man in our story was saved simply in the merit of having one of Rabbi Shalom's CD's there with him in his car - it saved him his life in this world as well as the next.
 
A person might mistakenly believe that what that young man heard was simply a voice on a CD.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.
 
First of all, Rav Arush made sure that one of his students would be at that particular intersection on the right day, at the right time. The student was walking back and forth in the  blazing Israeli sun all day. He had been breathing in exhaust fumes for hours when that young man arrived. He smiled widely when he saw him and handing him the CD, completed his mission.
 
Then, at the precise moment that was determined from the beginning of creation, Rav Arush rushed personally to that speeding car...spoke to that young man...and saved his eternal soul.  If you've read this far, you can be sure - Rabbi Shalom is watching over you too.
 
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Dr. Zev Ballen, Psy.D. has been a practicing psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He is the founder and developer of Emuna Therapy, a faith-based method of counseling based exclusively on the teachings of Rabbi Shalom Arush. Dr. Zev has the endorsements of Gadolei Yisrael such as the Nikolsburger Rebba, Rabbi Yitzchok Fagelstock, Rabbi Shalom Arush, and Rabbi Lazer Brody. You can see Dr. Zev's live video broadcast every Wednesday at 5pm Israel time here on breslev.co.il. You can write in with questions to Dr. Zev at: zevballen@yahoo.com. You can call him at: 845-362-8600 (US) or 054-840-9499 (Israel). Dr. Zev resides in Jerusalem, with his family, where he learns in Rav Arush’s Kollel and maintains a part-time private practice. You're also welcome to visit Dr. Zev's personal blog, Emuna Therapy.