The Tosafos From Heaven

The Chida writes that he heard from Rav Hirsch of Balchov about the time the Rebbe Reb Heschel of Cracow traveled to Vilna. He was fleeing the Cossacks and Chmielniczki during the riots of Tach and Tat. When he arrived before the Av Bais Din, Rav Sheptil Horowitz, author of Vavei HaAmudim and son of the Sheloh HaKadosh, Rav Sheptil did not recognize Reb Heschel or respect his greatness.

Reb Heschel then asked the son of the Sheloh to explain a Tosafos. Rav Sheptil said he would study it, but he could not understand the Tosafos at all. He fasted and cried, and then his own father, the author of the Sheloh HaKadosh, appeared to him in a dream. His father explained the meaning of the Tosafos to him. He also admonished him and warned him to honor the great Reb Heschel, for Reb Heschel had the soul of Rabbeinu Tam.

Rav Sheptil awoke and immediately sent for Reb Heschel and honored him, and he explained the Tosafos to him. Reb Heschel then declared in public, "The only way you got this explanation was a revelation from Heaven."