Rabbi Shmuel Shapiro
Born in Jerusalem, Rabbi Shmuel was one of the most outstanding students in the Etz Chaim Yeshiva under its world-renowned Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Isar Zalman Meltzer...
Rabbi Shmuel Shapiro
(1913 – 1989) Born in Jerusalem, Rabbi Shmuel was one of the most outstanding students in the Etz Chaim Yeshiva under its world-renowned Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Isar Zalman Meltzer. Attracted to Breslov by Rabbi Shmuel Horowitz, he became a chassid in 1934. When learning of this, Rabbi Meltzer said, "Whoever made him a Breslover will never leave Gehennom." To which Rabbi Shmuel Shapiro countered, "Correct. Because he will never go in!"
Known as the "Tzaddik of Jerusalem," Rabbi Shmuel kept his eyes lowered in public, never looking at any of the physical attractions of this world. He would remain all night in the fields, in hitbodedut, and then put in a full day's Torah study in some obscure synagogue, always shunning the public eye. In preparation for Rosh Hashana, he spent the entire month of Elul in Meiron, where Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is buried. "Here I have everything I need – a synagogue, a mikvah and mountains for hitbodedut. It's Gan Eden on earth," he was heard to say.
Together with Rabbi Moshe Burstein and other Breslover Chassidim, he was taken to Jordon as a civilian hostage during the Israel War of Independence.
His greatest desire was to visit Rebbe Nachman's gravesite in Uman. In 1970, he traveled to the United States to attain a special passport, enabling him to apply for a visa to Russia. It took him an additional three years until he was finally able to travel. In 1988, he spent Rosh Hashana in Uman. He passed away shortly afterwards.
10/20/2025
Perhaps there some confusion between two different “Rav Shmuel”s?
– Yeshaiyahu is referring to the book “Yemei Shmuel” by Rav Shmuel Horovitz of J’lem
– This article is about Rav Shmuel Shapiro.
10/20/2025
The comment made by Yeshaiyahu doesn’t make sense to me. It is well known that Rav Shmuel was born in 1913 to a family in Jerusalem that was not Breslov. It is also well known that it was not until 1934 when he was 21 years old that he became a Breslover. So he was never visiting Uman in the 1920s. It’s also very well known that his only trip to Uman was in his last year of life that the Soviet Union colapsed. I can testify to these facts by way of hearing them first hand from many Breslovers who knew Rav Samuel personally!
5/15/2017
R’ Shmuel’s Uman Visits
R' Shmuel was actually my great uncle- if you read his Sefer Yimei Shmuel it is clear that he made well known visits to Uman during the 1920s, spending time with the previous generation of Breslov tzaddikim and eventually getting arrested and saved via a nes. I was never zoiche to know him, only his amazing son R' Shebsel a very little bit. Im"h their zechus should bring the geulah.