Once Rav Yosef of Neustadt came to visit the Tiferes Shlomo in Radomsk. As the two tzaddikim sat side by side enjoying each other’s company, Rav Yosef asked if the Tiferes Shlomo could share an anecdote from his rebbe, Rav Fishel of Strikov since the Tiferes Shlomo was one of his disciples. The Tiferes Shlomo related how strong was Rav Fishel’s emuna (faith) in hashgacha pratis (Divine Providence). “He always believed that anything and everything that happened was directly related to him and specifically for his sake.

For example, when the weather turned cold, the frost would make immersion in the mikvah a formidable ordeal. He would say: “I believe with full faith – b’emuna sheleima that this a test from Hashem whether I will immerse despite the cold and discomfort; but know, you Evil one, yetzer hara that you will not dissuade me nor block me from serving Hashem!”

Another story the Tiferes Shlomo shared was that before retiring to bed each night, Rav Fishel would take a glezzeleh bronfen (a glass of brandy or liquor) in hand and wish Hashem, “L’Chaim! L’Chaim Ribono Shel Olam sheAta MeKor HaChaim veChai HaChaim - a gitte Nacht! L’Chaim, L’Chaim Master of the World; You are the source of all life; I wish you a good night!”

He wished Hashem L’Chaim and a good night in Yiddish.

Rav Fishel even once explained the reason behind this unusual minhag (custom) of his:

“You must know that there are sick Jews everywhere in the world, and oftentimes it is at night that suffering intensifies. I attempt to bring some relief to them with my L’Chaim to Hashem based on the principle that He suffers in our suffering. I wish Hashem a good night, if He wants a peaceful night free of pain and distress, He must heal all the Jews’ suffering first! And so, I drink to Hashem and wish Him a good night – Gitte Nacht!” (Siach Sarfei Kodesh)

When Rav Chaim Dovid, the doctor of Pietrokow, lay on his sickbed, he was visited by the Tiferes Shlomo. The Rebbe found the good doctor crying and he thought that he was crying over the misdeeds of his youth, since he was a ba’al teshuva. The Tiferes Shlomo asked him, “Why are you crying? Don’t worry your past. Those days will fall away and be forgiven and forgotten.”

Rav Chaim Dovid answered the Tiferes Shlomo, “I do not wish them to fall away and be forgotten. Rather, I wish to do teshuva out of love! Then all my intentional transgressions will be transformed into merits! And in the merit of studying the sefer Ohr HaChaim HaKodosh on a weekly basis and memorizing it, surely they will all become zechuyos (merits)!” (Kodesh Hillulim p. 75)

The Tiferes Shlomo was a talmid of Rav Yeshaya of Peshedburz (Przedbórz), a talmid of the Chozeh. Once, the Tiferes Shlomo was there for Shabbos and Rav Yeshaya was not feeling well; as a result, all the tefillos and seudos were conducted in the Rebbe’s room, with a small gathering of a minyan of students and talmidim. The Tiferes Shlomo was among them, as was also a Rav who was envious of the honor and affection that Rav Yeshaya bestowed upon the Tiferes Shlomo. At the tisch, knowing that the Tiferes Shlomo would be honored to sing zemiros, he began to sing through all the zemiros so that the Tiferes Shlomo would not have any chance to sing at all. On Motzo’ei Shabbos, Rav Yeshaya honored the Tiferes Shlomo with singing after Havdola, and he sang HaMavdil with sweet dveikus. Rav Yeshaya was so pleased that he reached his holy hand into the inner pocket of his Shabbos bekesheh and pulled out a golden rendel. He handed it to the Tiferes Shlomo, saying, “Now, how does a golden coin come into the pocket of my Shabbos kaftan? Since I finished studying Hilchos Shabbos in my youth I have never yet transgressed its laws, even beshogeg (by accident), so we must conclude that Eliyohu HaNovi placed this coin in there just for you!”

(Otzar Yisrael #3)

The Divrei Chaim of Sanz used to say that the key to parnossa lies in the hands of the Tiferes Shlomo.

(Otzar Yisrael #13)

The Tiferes Shlomo was also a talmid of Rav Meir of Apta, the mechaber of Ohr LaShomayim. He said that his custom to curse others and thereby bring about a yeshua (a salvation) is a tradition he learned and received from the Ohr LaShomayim, who received it as a tradition going back all the way to Avrohom Avinu. As it says regarding Avrohom – umevorchecha avarech umekalelcha a’or – usually translated as: “I shall bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you”. However, the pasuk does not say umekalelcha akalel – it says a’or – ohr means “light”. Thus we can translate these words as: “those whom you curse I shall enlighten” – der leichten we can use [disguised blessings as] curses to shine a bright light on yiddishe neshomos and do them favors.

It is well known how the Tiferes Shlomo used his powers to curse and strike, thereby saving others. Once, when he returned from the mikve on Erev Shabbos, he grew angry and cursed and yelled at the simple shamoshim who cleaned the mikve, “There was a mess and there were not enough towels!” They cowered in fright and tried to run away.

The next week they made sure there were plenty of towels and everything was in order. “Why is everything in order? Why are there enough towels?” raged the Tzaddik. “Why, oh why did you take away any reason for me to be angry – and why didn’t you leave me cause to curse and rage?!!!”

Once, he yelled and screamed at the Chassidim, “Why do you come here? Go! Go home, even now, even on Shabbos! That’s right! I give you permission to leave! Right now! Why do you sin by coming and wasting my time?!” One of the Chassidim packed his bags and, taking his suitcase in hand, he was ready to leave then and there. “Fool! You don’t understand what I am doing!” said the Tiferes Shlomo.

(Otzar Yisrael #15–17)

Once, the Tiferes Shlomo chased the Chassidim with a towel and began hitting them; one of the Chassidim couldn’t run away fast enough and he received a whipping from the towel that the Rebbe was wielding.

The Chassid was saddened and distraught by the blow he had received, and he thought to himself, “Woe is me! What will be with me this year, now that the Rebbe hit me? When he got home, he was so distressed that he fell ill in bed. The Chassidim approached the Rebbe and told the Tiferes Shlomo how the Chassid was in bed, suffering because of the Rebbe’s blow. “Call that batlan, the lazy good-for-nothing, and bring him here to me so I can give him forty lashes – then the fool will win the lottery!” said the Tzaddik. And so it was – the Chassid won the lottery of forty thousand silver rubles!

(Otzar Yisrael #18)

The symbolism of the kittel, as perceived by the Tiferes Shlomo, Rav Shlomo of Radomsk, is most striking and powerful. Rav Shlomo, as he donned his kittel before the Seder would pause and begin to cry, “Heilige Bashefer (Holy Creator), may all the neshomos that join us here tonight find the proper tikkun (rectification) for their needs.” (Touched by the Seder, by Rav Yechiel Spero, Mesorah Publications)The symbolism of the kittel, as perceived by the Tiferes Shlomo, Rav Shlomo of Radomsk, is most striking and powerful. Rav Shlomo, as he donned his kittel before the Seder would pause and begin to cry, “Heilige Bashefer (Holy Creator), may all the neshomos that join us here tonight find the proper tikkun (rectification) for their needs.” (Touched by the Seder, by Rav Yechiel Spero, Mesorah Publications)

thank hashem for the good

The Tiferes Shlomo writes the following: It is known that when a person wishes to pray for that which he needs, he should first thank Hashem for what he has already received and only then proceed to ask for his new requests. This is seen from passuk that says הודו לה' כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו. First you must thank Hashem on the good he has already given you – הודו לה' כי טוב, and with that you can draw new blessing to the world – כי לעולם חסדו. This is the intention behind the setup we find in the davening of the Yamim Nora’im. First we say ועל כולם יתברך ויתרומם וכו' and then we say וכתוב לחיים טובים כל בני בריתך. The idea is to first thank Hashem for the good He has provided us throughout the past year and only then to ask for the coming year.

thank hashem for the good

The Tiferes Shlomo writes the following: It is known that when a person wishes to pray for that which he needs, he should first thank Hashem for what he has already received and only then proceed to ask for his new requests. This is seen from passuk that says הודו לה' כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו. First you must thank Hashem on the good he has already given you – הודו לה' כי טוב, and with that you can draw new blessing to the world – כי לעולם חסדו. This is the intention behind the setup we find in the davening of the Yamim Nora’im. First we say ועל כולם יתברך ויתרומם וכו' and then we say וכתוב לחיים טובים כל בני בריתך. The idea is to first thank Hashem for the good He has provided us throughout the past year and only then to ask for the coming year.