Rav Shlomo Shapira of Munkatch zt"l
הרב שלמה בן אלעזר שפירא זצ"ל
Sivan 21 , 5653
Stories of Rav Shlomo Shapira of Munkatch zt"l
The Tosher Rebbe told the following account:
When Rav Shlomo was to marry the daughter of Rav Yekusiel Shmelka of Sassov, who was the son of Rav Moshe Leib Sassover, he traveled to Sassov for the chasunah and stopped on the way in Premishlan to receive Rav Meir Premishlaner’s berachah.
The Rebbe Reb Meir’l handed him a piping hot glass of tea and ordered him to drink it all up while it was still boiling hot. Rav Shlomo heeded the tzaddik’s instructions and downed the blistering brew with mesirus nefesh. As a reward for his unquestioning obedience, Rav Meir indeed gave him a berachah that he should be healthy and strong his entire life. (Avodas Avoda Sichos Kodesh Vol. II Behaaloscha p. 316)
According to the Tosher Rebbe, at the chasunah of Rav Shlomo of Munkascz during of the mitzvah tantz, someone dressed in a bearskin came in and danced with the chassan and kallah. All present assumed it was a fellow wedding guest who decided to amuse the chassan and kallah and bring them joy. When the story was described to Rav Meir of Premishlan however, he said that it was none other than the kallah’s grandfather, Rav Moshe Leib Sassover who descended from the olam haelyon to dance the mitzvah tantz with his granddaughter the kallah! (Avodas Avoda Sichos Kodesh Vol. II Behaaloscha p. 316)
Adjacent to the home of the Munkaczer Rav (the Shem Shlomo), grew a beautiful garden; yet, he was always too busy to enjoy it. During his final days, however, he would stroll and breath the fresh air in the company of his son, the Darkei Teshuva, and his grandson, the Minchas Elazar.
Once, during their stroll, the Shem Shlomo pointed at a tree and asked if it was an almond tree. His son and grandson confirmed that it was. After a few minutes, the Shem Shlomo asked his son to stop so he could sit beneath the shade of the trees. He sat for a while and then said, “I once heard that Rav Aharon of Karlin had a nigun for the pasuk in Shir Hashirim, “el ginas egoz yaradati, I have descended into the almond orchard.” I once knew this song but have now forgotten its tune.”
“I learned this nigun,” said his son. “When I was in Sanz, I heard it from Rav Shlomo of Bobov (Rav Tzvi Hirsch, the Darkei Teshuva).” He then sang the beautiful nigun. The words to it were:
“My mother asked me to gather almonds and nuts but alas, the trees are so tall; o’ woe, the children are so small. Alas, they cannot reach the almonds and nuts.”
The Shem Shlomo listened and cried. “How great is the pain and anguish of the children when they cannot climb the tree and gather the fruits.” He explained, “This is what we mean when we sing zemiros and mention almonds and pomegranates. We are asking Hashem, ‘Master of the World, please enable us to reach the “almonds” and “fruit” that are high up in tall trees and thus attach ourselves and reach You!” (Beis Shlomo)