Reb Shayele of Kerestir – Pidyon Nefesh Based on the Torah Text
When
the Baal Mofet, Reb Shayele of Kerestir, saw that the Heavenly gates were sealed and prayers might not reach their destination, he would turn to Pidyon Nefesh, commanded by the Torah itself in the text of Sefer Vayikra (27:1–8), for the healing of the sick.
He would say that at that very moment, the Worlds of Salvation and the Worlds of Mercy merge into one extraordinary act of kindness, and healing comes through supernatural means.
For it is stated in Vayikra (27:1–8):
“G-d spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When a person makes a vow based on the valuation of a soul to the L-rd, the valuation shall be as follows:
From one month old to five years old
Male – five silver shekels;
Female – three silver shekels;
From five years old to twenty
Male – twenty silver shekels;
Female – ten silver shekels;
From twenty years old to sixty
Male – fifty silver shekels;
Female – thirty silver shekels;
From sixty years old and above…
Male – fifteen silver shekels;
Female – ten silver shekels;
If he is poor, he shall stand before the Kohen, who shall assess him; the Kohen shall assess him according to the means of the one who made the vow…”
Stories of Tzadikim
When the young son of Reb Yirmiyah Hersh Berkovitz became gravely ill, the distraught father sent a messenger to Reb Shayele, asking him to pray.
Reb Shayele sent back the following message: “On Sunday, I will be passing by Gibart and will visit the child.”
Reb Yirmiyah Hersh was perplexed by this response, since it was Wednesday and the doctors had given the child only a few hours to live… But there was nothing to be done—he had to wait.
No matter how weak the child became, he held on until the Rebbe arrived.
The Rebbe spent some time with the boy, then called Reb Yirmiyah Hersh into a private room and said: “Know that your son is dangerously ill, and you must make a ‘Pidyon Nefesh’ (redemption of the soul) for him.”
The Rebbe calculated the amount for a child under five, which came to twenty-five gold coins.
Naturally, the parents gladly paid the sum.
The following morning, the child regained consciousness, began eating, started speaking, and eventually made a full recovery.
Reb Yirmiyah Hersh went to Reb Shayele to thank him.
“I knew,” Reb Shayele said, “that your son would be healed, because I used your money for a particularly worthy cause.”
(From the book “Reb Shayele - The warmth and wonder of Kerestir” by Kever Tzadik)
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