The Rebbe of Toldos Aharon, vacationing in Hungary, made a special visit to Kerestir this week to pray in the newly restored bais medrash of Rav Yeshaya'le of Kerestir. Construction work on the historic sanctuary was temporarily halted for the occasion.
The visit followed the Rebbe's trip to Ohel to mark the yahrtzeit of the Yismach Moshe. He then traveled to Kerestir, arriving on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av, a time traditionally considered auspicious for prayer, to visit the kever of Rav Yeshaya ben Rav Moshe of Kerestir.
The Rebbe was received by leadership of Rabbi Yeshaya'le's House and members of the Rubin family, descendants of the tzaddik involved in restoring the town's Jewish sites. He toured the bais medrash, which is being rebuilt on its original foundations. Though the restoration remains under construction, the building was specially opened for his visit, and he davened Maariv in the space where Rav Yeshaya'le once prayed.
The reconstruction effort, directed by Rav Menachem Mendel Rubin of the Reb Yeshaya'les Hoiz organization, has involved reclaiming the property and painstakingly rebuilding the structure according to its original design using recovered foundations, historical documents, and eyewitness accounts.
After Maariv, the Rebbe proceeded to the kever. Standing in the Kohanim room adjacent to the ohel, he read kvitlach and offered tefillos for the klal and individual petitioners. He greeted visitors at the site and offered blessings for yeshuos, refuos, and continued success.