Power of Gedolim Pictures- Yartzheit of Reb Shaya Kerestirer

This Shabbos 3 Iyar is the Yartzheit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestirer (1851-1925) one of the famous chasiddic Rebbes from Hungary in the early Twentieth century. Many are making the trip to his Kever and spend Shabbos at his house in northern Hungary (photos HERE). His picture is believed by many to be a segulah and a amulet of protection. Many stores have his picture to keep away mice.
 Here is the The Famous Mouse Story- link.            (see below for story of Rav Aaron Kotler picture)

Reb Shaya Kerestirer

Affectionately known as Reb Shaya'le (Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir), the Kerestirer Rebbe lived around the beginning of the 20th Century. He was a very pious man and extremely humble, always referring to himself in the diminutive (Shaya'le). He was known as a "miraculous" person. His greatest pleasure was to host a very elaborate Melave Malka, the meal that follows Shabbos, on Saturday night. Often he would have his chassidim shecht fresh chickens for his meal.

One motzei Shabbos, while Reb Shaya'le was eating this special melave malka meal, a chossid came to him with an urgent request. He was a man who had a warehouse full of foodstuffs and he made his living by buying an selling food. For the past number of months, his warehouse had been taken over by mice who were eating his grain and other commodities and his entire livelihood was threatened. He asked Reb Shaya'le for a blessing that the mice should leave his warehouse. At that time, each small town in Europe was ruled by the local church pastor. Some of the pastors were kind towards the Jews and others were very harsh. Reb Shaya'le asked the chossid if the pastor of the town he lived in was kind or harsh. The chossid replied that he was very harsh toward the Jews. Reb Shaya'le then instructed the chossid to go to his warehouse and to tell the mice, "Reb Shaya'le says to go to the estate of the pastor." The chossid followed the Rebbe's advice and instantly hundreds of mice raced out of the warehouse all heading in the direction of the pastor's estate. The chossid's business was saved and ever since Jews who have been plagued with this problem have used Reb Shaya'le's picture to accomplish the ridding of mice from their homes.
  Story with Picture of Rav Aharon Kotler- 

Rav Aharon Kotler

Recently a story about a Bochur who went off the derech, yet he was still living at home and his parents gave him the privacy of his room they did not enter it at all. It so happened that a contractor who was working on the home had to enter the room and to his amazement amongst the not so tzniusdik pictures on the wall and other posters of rock stars and Holywood greats there was a picture of  The Lakewood Rosh hayeshiva Rav Aharon Kotler Z'TL. Not sure what to make of it he discussed it with the boys mother and a rav he didnt feel it was bakovedik for the picture of Rav Aharon to be hanging on a wall shared with other secular pritzusdiker pictures. After consulting it was decided not to make anything of it or speak to her son about it. At least let him have some connection to yiddeshkeit. Eventually he started coming to the shabbos seudos and started his way back. When asked what helped him make his turn around he explained. He once gave a donation to the Lakewood Yeshiva Beth Medrash Govoha and they sent him a poster of Rav Aaron Kotler. He dosent know why but he hung it on the wall. something about the picture talked to him and he felt Rav aharon was looking at him.
The current Rosh Yeshiva Rav Malkiel Kotler shlita remarked the Kedusha of the Zaydeh was so powerful even a picture can bring someone back to yiddeshkeit.