מה נורא המקום הזה אין זה כי אם בית אלקים (ויצא כח:יז)

After purchasing the lot to build the great Shul in Belz, the Sar Shalom of Belz zt”l said: “Whoever contributes to building the shul is considered as if he is building the Beis Hamikdash.”

The Sar Shalom asked donors to contribute towards the construction expenses. Many chassidim contributed and asked to be helped with a yeshuah – salvation. The Sar Shalom used to assign a number of bricks that their payment covered and said that in this merit, they would be helped with everything they wished for.

Some Chassidim went around the towns to collect for the building project.  Before setting out on their mission, the fundraisers asked the Sar Shalom for a letter of endorsement.  The Sar Shalom said that they repeat in his name an explanation to the words in Chavakuk “אבן מקיר תזעק”- a stone will shout out from the wall: When Moshiach comes each brick of the new Shul will attest: “So’n’so contributed me for the walls of this Shul.