Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Rabbi Avraham Dov Avritch and the Earthquake

B"H

Because I stayed in Zfat (Safed) last night, today everyone is asking me if I felt the earthquake taking place this morning at 4.30am. People say that it was quite a strong earthquake but I didn't feel anything but slept. Scientist keep on predicting a big earthquake for the next coming years. Especially in Zfat, Tiberias and the Jordan Valley. A fatal quake with thousands of dead.

When I come to Zfat I keep on meeting all kinds of different people. Religious Jews who tell me spiritual and sometimes even spooky stories. Now I heard one about the earthquake this morning.

This upcoming Friday is the Yahrzeit of the famous Rebbe of Zfat, Rabbi Avraham Dov of Avritch, 1765 - 1840. Rabbi Avritch of Avritch was a chassidic Rebbe in Europe for forty years and in Safed for ten, was a disciple of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev and the first two Rebbes of the Chernobyl dynasty. His famous book, Bat Ayin, was written in Europe, but he refused to allow it to be printed until he could 'expose' it to the air of the Holy Land and refine it there.

The story goes like this:
During his life time, Rabbi Avraham Dov predicted an earthquake taking place in Zfat. The earthquake really took place and many Jews died. However, it is said that those Jews who, for some reason, had touched Rabbi Avritch survived the catastrophe.
This week we are going to commemorate the Rabbi's Yahrzeit and another quake took place. If this wouldn't be strange ?

Honestly, this is not the only spooky story I have heard from the religious inhabitants of Zfat. There are plenty more and maybe you have to be spiritual in Zfat. Either spiritual or insane or both.

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Source about Rabbi Avritch:

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