(transcribed from the following story as told by R. Shlomo Carlebach)
You know, everybody knows Rabbi Yitzchak [of] Berditchev, the holy of holiest.
One of his chasidim came to him and says, “Rebbe, I have to go to Lublin - I need a passport. I hate to go to the police because for a Jew - it’s no good - if the police doesn't even know his name.”
The Holy Berditchever says, “no problem.”
Walked into his room –
came out with a blank piece of paper -
and he says to him, “here's your passport.”
But know, my beautiful friends,
you’ve got to be a big chasid
to come to the border,
pull out a blank piece of paper…
When the officer saw the blank piece of paper - began saluting him.
And he says,
“I’ve never met a great person like you.
Let me have the privilege of giving you a carriage with eight horses
to facilitate your going to Lublin.”
Remember, this poor Yiddele had never seen a carriage in his whole life.
Anyway, he was treated like the czar of Russia.
He came back.
He lived forever.
I told the story…I heard the story in Vienna.
A Yid says to me, “you know, I'm the only one who knows the story.
Let me give it over to you.”
…
1935. My uncle, a Munkatcher chasid,
with a long beard and payos –
he had to go to Germany.
He had a passport, but that kind of passport
doesn't guarantee he’s coming back.
He walked into the Munkatcher Rebbe
and he says, “Rebbe, give me a Munkatcher passport.”
The Munkatcher says to him, “what makes you think I can give you such a passport?”
He says, “Rebbe, I know I'm begging you.
I'm crying before you.
I have a wife and seven children.
Please - save my life, Rebbe.”
The Munkatcher Rebbe
went to his room –
came out
three hours later.
And you know, friends, to give a passport from Berditchev to Lublin - it's one thing.
1935 - Munkatch to Germany …
The Rebbe came out.
His eye… his eyes – were wet with tears.
…gave him a blank piece of paper – but the paper was soaking wet.
Tears of 2000 years exile.
My uncle came to the border. The Nazi says, “Where’s your passport?”
My uncle pulled out a blank piece of paper.
The Nazi begin saluting him.
He says, “I don't think Germany ever had the honor of a great person like you visiting us.
Let me have the privilege of giving you a letter to the police all over Germany to protect you.”
My uncle was a week in Germany.
The Nazis drove him around, all over – paid for his hotel.
He came back.
You know, my beautiful friends, Munkatcher Rebbe told him,
“swear to me, as long as I live, you will never tell anybody about the passport.”
My uncle came back - didn't tell anybody.
The holy Munkatcher passed away in 1936 - and before he passed away, he says, “I see a darkness coming up on the world. I don't want to be there.”
1939. Few days before the Second World War - my uncle got so sick -
and he knew his hours are numbered.
He called his family.
I was seven years old.
I was also called, and this is what he says:
“I want you to know I have a Munkatcher passport.”
Told us the whole story.
And this is what he said:
“This is my last will.
When you bury me … (we should all live long) …
when you bury me.
Put the Munkatcher passport in my hand.
Put the holiest Rebbe – his passport in my hand.
Because if the Rebbe’s passport opened gates in this world,
who knows how many gates it'll open for me –in the world to come.”
You know, my beautiful friends,
you think there are only borders between nations.
There are borders between us and God.
Borders between one human being and the other.
So many borders between husband and wife -
between parents and children.
You know why there's no peace in the world?
Because the world needs
the Munkatcher passport.
I want you to know, I want you to know…
The Torah is so holy and we celebrate
Shavuos – celebrate Yom Kippur.
But you know what I need?
I need a passport.
So on Simchas Torah,
I take out the Torah - I'm not reading it.
It’s just blank.
On Simchas Torah,
God gives me the Munkatcher passport.
Have you ever danced on Simchas Torah?
Have you ever noticed the people who dance?
There's no borders between them?
No borders between them and their children.?
No borders between rich and poor?
You know, when people get married, the beginning of the ceremony is -
the groom puts the veil over the eyes of his beautiful bride.
You know what he's giving her?
The Munkatcher passport.
The Munkatcher passport.
You know what the holy bride is doing?
She walks around the groom seven times.
You don't see anything.
It’s the Munkatcher passport.
The Munkatcher passport.
You know children, when they're born,
they keep their eyes closed.
You know what they're giving their parents?
The Munkatcher passport.
And to bless you and me -
All the husband, all the wives, all the children,
all the fathers, all the mothers, all the nations.
The Munkatcher passport.
But you know where they’re
giving out those passports?
The headquarters.
Yerushalayim.
Have you ever stood by the Holy Wall?
Did you ever pray?
What do you take with you –
between you and God?
The Munkatcher passport.
You know, friends, the Gemara
– the first page, it's not even there,
begins with page two.
Where's the first page?
It’s the Munkatcher passport.
You cannot learn Torah
until God gives you:
The passport.
You know, everybody knows Rabbi Yitzchak [of] Berditchev, the holy of holiest.
One of his chasidim came to him and says, “Rebbe, I have to go to Lublin - I need a passport. I hate to go to the police because for a Jew - it’s no good - if the police doesn't even know his name.”
The Holy Berditchever says, “no problem.”
Walked into his room –
came out with a blank piece of paper -
and he says to him, “here's your passport.”
But know, my beautiful friends,
you’ve got to be a big chasid
to come to the border,
pull out a blank piece of paper…
When the officer saw the blank piece of paper - began saluting him.
And he says,
“I’ve never met a great person like you.
Let me have the privilege of giving you a carriage with eight horses
to facilitate your going to Lublin.”
Remember, this poor Yiddele had never seen a carriage in his whole life.
Anyway, he was treated like the czar of Russia.
He came back.
He lived forever.
I told the story…I heard the story in Vienna.
A Yid says to me, “you know, I'm the only one who knows the story.
Let me give it over to you.”
…
1935. My uncle, a Munkatcher chasid,
with a long beard and payos –
he had to go to Germany.
He had a passport, but that kind of passport
doesn't guarantee he’s coming back.
He walked into the Munkatcher Rebbe
and he says, “Rebbe, give me a Munkatcher passport.”
The Munkatcher says to him, “what makes you think I can give you such a passport?”
He says, “Rebbe, I know I'm begging you.
I'm crying before you.
I have a wife and seven children.
Please - save my life, Rebbe.”
The Munkatcher Rebbe
went to his room –
came out
three hours later.
And you know, friends, to give a passport from Berditchev to Lublin - it's one thing.
1935 - Munkatch to Germany …
The Rebbe came out.
His eye… his eyes – were wet with tears.
…gave him a blank piece of paper – but the paper was soaking wet.
Tears of 2000 years exile.
My uncle came to the border. The Nazi says, “Where’s your passport?”
My uncle pulled out a blank piece of paper.
The Nazi begin saluting him.
He says, “I don't think Germany ever had the honor of a great person like you visiting us.
Let me have the privilege of giving you a letter to the police all over Germany to protect you.”
My uncle was a week in Germany.
The Nazis drove him around, all over – paid for his hotel.
He came back.
You know, my beautiful friends, Munkatcher Rebbe told him,
“swear to me, as long as I live, you will never tell anybody about the passport.”
My uncle came back - didn't tell anybody.
The holy Munkatcher passed away in 1936 - and before he passed away, he says, “I see a darkness coming up on the world. I don't want to be there.”
1939. Few days before the Second World War - my uncle got so sick -
and he knew his hours are numbered.
He called his family.
I was seven years old.
I was also called, and this is what he says:
“I want you to know I have a Munkatcher passport.”
Told us the whole story.
And this is what he said:
“This is my last will.
When you bury me … (we should all live long) …
when you bury me.
Put the Munkatcher passport in my hand.
Put the holiest Rebbe – his passport in my hand.
Because if the Rebbe’s passport opened gates in this world,
who knows how many gates it'll open for me –in the world to come.”
You know, my beautiful friends,
you think there are only borders between nations.
There are borders between us and God.
Borders between one human being and the other.
So many borders between husband and wife -
between parents and children.
You know why there's no peace in the world?
Because the world needs
the Munkatcher passport.
I want you to know, I want you to know…
The Torah is so holy and we celebrate
Shavuos – celebrate Yom Kippur.
But you know what I need?
I need a passport.
So on Simchas Torah,
I take out the Torah - I'm not reading it.
It’s just blank.
On Simchas Torah,
God gives me the Munkatcher passport.
Have you ever danced on Simchas Torah?
Have you ever noticed the people who dance?
There's no borders between them?
No borders between them and their children.?
No borders between rich and poor?
You know, when people get married, the beginning of the ceremony is -
the groom puts the veil over the eyes of his beautiful bride.
You know what he's giving her?
The Munkatcher passport.
The Munkatcher passport.
You know what the holy bride is doing?
She walks around the groom seven times.
You don't see anything.
It’s the Munkatcher passport.
The Munkatcher passport.
You know children, when they're born,
they keep their eyes closed.
You know what they're giving their parents?
The Munkatcher passport.
And to bless you and me -
All the husband, all the wives, all the children,
all the fathers, all the mothers, all the nations.
The Munkatcher passport.
But you know where they’re
giving out those passports?
The headquarters.
Yerushalayim.
Have you ever stood by the Holy Wall?
Did you ever pray?
What do you take with you –
between you and God?
The Munkatcher passport.
You know, friends, the Gemara
– the first page, it's not even there,
begins with page two.
Where's the first page?
It’s the Munkatcher passport.
You cannot learn Torah
until God gives you:
The passport.