Rav Yitzchak Shlomo Ungar had no biological children, but his kever is often surrounded by petitioners

Photo:Shuki Lehrer

Rav Yitzchak Shlomo Ungar might not have been a household name, but in Bnei Brak, the rav of Chug Chasam Sofer was known as a po’el yeshuos. I could never photograph him at the most wondrous time of the week — Shabbos morning — when he recited the tefillah of Ahavah Rabbah, his face shining, his voice rising as he pleaded for the chance to learn and teach Torah.

In time, I heard a story from him that explained his deep, almost otherworldly connection to these words. During the war years, Rav Ungar was in the concentration camps, and one day, he was taken along with a group of others to be killed. He was beaten badly and left for dead, but as he lay there, he had a vision of his father. His father assured him that he would live, but he had to promise that if granted life, he would use it to spread Torah to talmidim.

Rav Ungar had no biological children, but his kever is often surrounded by petitioners. Rav Chaim Kanievsky suggests that people in need of salvation daven by the grave of this tzaddik and talmid chacham who lived to spread Torah.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 839)