Spread the Word...
An important article was recently published in MISHPACHA (12 Av 5768)
Rav Shachne Zohn, shlita, is one of the original talmidim of the Chofetz Chaim and one of the most veteran mashgichim of our generation. He is also the person whose recent dream has taken the chareidi public by storm. In a special conversation with Mishpacha, he recounts the details of his dream, explains why it is clear that the dream should be accorded veracity, delineates what every Jew should be doing, and talks about his own preparations for Mashiach's arrival.
“I saw the Chofetz Chaim. He told me that I must spread the word throughout the world that the Geulah is drawing near and that we must prepare for it. Everyone must do Teshuvah for his sins with a broken heart.”
"Is it the journalist?" Rav Shachne Zohn asks, raising his eyes a bit. The Filipino worker who stays with the Rav nods his head. Rav Shachne motions me to sit. "One of the elderly tzaddikim of Jerusalem had a dream that the Geulah [Redemption] is approaching. He's a quiet, modest person who wouldn't have told anyone about his dream. The Chofetz Chaim demanded that he recount his dream, and that is why he has done so," Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg mentioned during a shiur he gave two weeks ago.
Rav Tzvi Meir didn't add any details. Rumors spread throughout the chareidi public that the
Chofetz Chaim had appeared in a dream to one of his last remaining talmidim, telling him, "You
should know that Mashiach will arrive before Rosh HaShanah." The next day, the rumors reported, the Chofetz Chaim appeared again and repeated, "Go spread the word that Mashiach will arrive before Rosh HaShanah." Some people attributed the quote to Rav Dov Yaffe, who also mentioned this incident during a talk in his yeshivah. Others quoted Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky, wife of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, who stated that the source of this story is genuine, and it's a mitzvah to publicize it.
The dream, they said, was recounted by Rav Shachne Zohn, a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim and one of the most veteran mashgichim of our time, a former Rosh Yeshivah in Torah Vodaath. According to various estimations, he is over ninety years old, though he refrained from revealing his exact age.
Right at the start of his conversation with Mishpacha, soon after I introduce myself, Rav Shachne Zohn verifies that his venerated Rebbe had indeed appeared to him in a dream. "In a dream, I saw the Chofetz Chaim. He told me that I must spread the word throughout the world that the Geulah is drawing near, and that we must prepare for it. Everyone must do teshuvah for his sins, with a broken heart."
When I try asking him questions, he points to his hearing aid and tells me, "I don't hear so well. Write down your questions and I'll answer them." He motions toward a black Parker pen lying
on the table, and thus begins our interview. All the questions asked in writing; the answers recorded and transcribed for our readers.
They say that during the dream, you were told that Mashiach would come before Rosh HaShanah?
"He didn't say a time," he answers firmly, "Nor did he give me any specific os, sign, for the time immediately preceding his arrival."
So what is meant by the words "the Geulah is near"?
"That it's approaching, and therefore each and every one of us is obligated to do teshuvah for his sins."
Did he tell you which issues one must emphasize when doing teshuvah?
"Everyone knows for what he must do teshuvah. It's not a general issue; it's a personal issue. Each person must know that the Geulah is approaching and he must do teshuvah."
Did the dream include any special message for bnei Torah?
"The dream did not have any specific instructions for bnei Torah. But it's well known; Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say "For bnei Torah, the main teshuvah is strengthening their Torah learning, to learn more, in a better and stronger way."
Was that same dream repeated?
"I dreamt it twice, and it's clear to me that it's a chalom emes, a dream that must be accorded veracity. I have no doubts about it."
In the dream, did the Chofetz Chaim appear the same way you remembered him during his lifetime?
"Yes, yes, and that fact has significance as well. But this is not the time to get into it."
He thinks for a moment. "I'll tell you even more. If I hadn't been commanded to recount this, I would have kept the story to myself. But since I was commanded to publicize it, and the dream occurred twice, and there are other simanim [signs] which the Gemara explains as pointing to a dream's veracity, I deviated from my usual practice, at the instructions of the Chofetz Chaim.
Is this the first time he has appeared to you in a dream?
Rav Shachne's lips are moving, but his voice is inaudible. I make every effort to hear his words, but he waves his hand. I try to repeat the question, but receive no answer. I understand that this question will not be getting an answer. Instead of remaining silent, Rav Zohn is reviewing
his Torah learning.
Do you remember where you saw the Chofetz Chaim in the dream? Was he in his home? In the Radin beis medrash? In the street?
"I saw him clearly."
And where was he?
"I saw the Chofetz Chaim clearly. He was speaking to me clearly, as I remember him speaking when he was alive, and he told me to publicize those words."
There was no answer to my question. (Later, when my tape recorder has been turned off, Rav Shachne Zohn tells me something that explains his refusal to answer. "I am publicizing that
which I was told. As for what I saw, I was not told to publicize that.")
It is known that the Chofetz Chaim had a special set of clothing that he saved for greeting Mashiach. Are you also preparing for his arrival?
"What kind of question is that? We have always been prepared for it."
I am referring to the Rav's personal preparations.
"In the Har Zvi shul in Jerusalem, I established a "Kodshim Kollel," where the avreichim study the laws of korbanos, because the Chofetz Chaim said that our generation is called the "ikvesa d'Meshicha," the generation of Mashiach'ss arrival. That means that we must learn all the inyanim of the Beis HaMikdash."
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Link to the article from Mishpacha magazine, click here
You can also get more information here regarding what is going on and what you can do to survive and be worthy of living in the days of Moshiach!!
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Rav Shachne Zohn, shlita, is one of the original talmidim of the Chofetz Chaim and one of the most veteran mashgichim of our generation. He is also the person whose recent dream has taken the chareidi public by storm. In a special conversation with Mishpacha, he recounts the details of his dream, explains why it is clear that the dream should be accorded veracity, delineates what every Jew should be doing, and talks about his own preparations for Mashiach's arrival.“I saw the Chofetz Chaim. He told me that I must spread the word throughout the world that the Geulah is drawing near and that we must prepare for it. Everyone must do Teshuvah for his sins with a broken heart.”
"Is it the journalist?" Rav Shachne Zohn asks, raising his eyes a bit. The Filipino worker who stays with the Rav nods his head. Rav Shachne motions me to sit. "One of the elderly tzaddikim of Jerusalem had a dream that the Geulah [Redemption] is approaching. He's a quiet, modest person who wouldn't have told anyone about his dream. The Chofetz Chaim demanded that he recount his dream, and that is why he has done so," Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg mentioned during a shiur he gave two weeks ago.
Rav Tzvi Meir didn't add any details. Rumors spread throughout the chareidi public that the
Chofetz Chaim had appeared in a dream to one of his last remaining talmidim, telling him, "You
should know that Mashiach will arrive before Rosh HaShanah." The next day, the rumors reported, the Chofetz Chaim appeared again and repeated, "Go spread the word that Mashiach will arrive before Rosh HaShanah." Some people attributed the quote to Rav Dov Yaffe, who also mentioned this incident during a talk in his yeshivah. Others quoted Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky, wife of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, who stated that the source of this story is genuine, and it's a mitzvah to publicize it.
The dream, they said, was recounted by Rav Shachne Zohn, a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim and one of the most veteran mashgichim of our time, a former Rosh Yeshivah in Torah Vodaath. According to various estimations, he is over ninety years old, though he refrained from revealing his exact age.
Right at the start of his conversation with Mishpacha, soon after I introduce myself, Rav Shachne Zohn verifies that his venerated Rebbe had indeed appeared to him in a dream. "In a dream, I saw the Chofetz Chaim. He told me that I must spread the word throughout the world that the Geulah is drawing near, and that we must prepare for it. Everyone must do teshuvah for his sins, with a broken heart."
When I try asking him questions, he points to his hearing aid and tells me, "I don't hear so well. Write down your questions and I'll answer them." He motions toward a black Parker pen lying
on the table, and thus begins our interview. All the questions asked in writing; the answers recorded and transcribed for our readers.
They say that during the dream, you were told that Mashiach would come before Rosh HaShanah?
"He didn't say a time," he answers firmly, "Nor did he give me any specific os, sign, for the time immediately preceding his arrival."
So what is meant by the words "the Geulah is near"?
"That it's approaching, and therefore each and every one of us is obligated to do teshuvah for his sins."
Did he tell you which issues one must emphasize when doing teshuvah?
"Everyone knows for what he must do teshuvah. It's not a general issue; it's a personal issue. Each person must know that the Geulah is approaching and he must do teshuvah."
Did the dream include any special message for bnei Torah?
"The dream did not have any specific instructions for bnei Torah. But it's well known; Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say "For bnei Torah, the main teshuvah is strengthening their Torah learning, to learn more, in a better and stronger way."
Was that same dream repeated?
"I dreamt it twice, and it's clear to me that it's a chalom emes, a dream that must be accorded veracity. I have no doubts about it."
In the dream, did the Chofetz Chaim appear the same way you remembered him during his lifetime?
"Yes, yes, and that fact has significance as well. But this is not the time to get into it."
He thinks for a moment. "I'll tell you even more. If I hadn't been commanded to recount this, I would have kept the story to myself. But since I was commanded to publicize it, and the dream occurred twice, and there are other simanim [signs] which the Gemara explains as pointing to a dream's veracity, I deviated from my usual practice, at the instructions of the Chofetz Chaim.
Is this the first time he has appeared to you in a dream?
Rav Shachne's lips are moving, but his voice is inaudible. I make every effort to hear his words, but he waves his hand. I try to repeat the question, but receive no answer. I understand that this question will not be getting an answer. Instead of remaining silent, Rav Zohn is reviewing
his Torah learning.
Do you remember where you saw the Chofetz Chaim in the dream? Was he in his home? In the Radin beis medrash? In the street?
"I saw him clearly."
And where was he?
"I saw the Chofetz Chaim clearly. He was speaking to me clearly, as I remember him speaking when he was alive, and he told me to publicize those words."
There was no answer to my question. (Later, when my tape recorder has been turned off, Rav Shachne Zohn tells me something that explains his refusal to answer. "I am publicizing that
which I was told. As for what I saw, I was not told to publicize that.")
It is known that the Chofetz Chaim had a special set of clothing that he saved for greeting Mashiach. Are you also preparing for his arrival?
"What kind of question is that? We have always been prepared for it."
I am referring to the Rav's personal preparations.
"In the Har Zvi shul in Jerusalem, I established a "Kodshim Kollel," where the avreichim study the laws of korbanos, because the Chofetz Chaim said that our generation is called the "ikvesa d'Meshicha," the generation of Mashiach'ss arrival. That means that we must learn all the inyanim of the Beis HaMikdash."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Link to the article from Mishpacha magazine, click here
You can also get more information here regarding what is going on and what you can do to survive and be worthy of living in the days of Moshiach!!
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