Shlomo Carlebach's "Munkatcher Passport" story

Written by Mrs. Leah Golomb

Many, many years later in 1935, a Munkatcher chasid went to the Rebbe of Munkatch, the Rebbe Chaim Eleazar Shapira, and asked him for a special passport to help him as he had to go to Nazi Germany. The chasid asked him for a passport like the one the holy Reb Levi Yitschak had given his chasid.

The Munkatcher went into his room and was there for three hours. He came out with his face red from crying. He also handed his chasid a blank piece of paper but the paper was wet with tears. The Rebbe said that really our generation is not on the level of this kind of passport so promise me that you will never tell anyone about it as long as I live.

The chasid came to the Nazi border and the guard asked for his passport. The chasid gave him the blank piece of paper. The guard began exclaiming that it was a great honor to have him come to his country and gave him a letter to the police of each town so they will take care of you and protect you. He received a car and a driver and they paid for his hotel rooms and baruch Hashem, he too arrived home safely.

The Munkatcher Rebbe died the following year. Three years later the chasid became very sick and he realized his time for this world was about up. He called his family close to him and told them the secret of his holy Munkatcher passport and he asked that the passport be in his hand when they bury him.