Suddenly, the Arizal grabbed the hands of this elderly man, and they danced together for a long time. Then, the Arizal danced with the Chareidim.
The Arizal's students were surprised to see the Arizal dance with the Chareidim, just the two of them, because they thought the Chareidim was a simple person.
The students asked the Arizal, "It is Torah, so we have a right to ask. Why did you dance with Reb Elazar Ezkari (the Chareidim)? You are a gadol b'Yisrael, and Reb Elazar is a simple person. We don’t ask why you danced with the elderly man because he is probably a great scholar, but why did you dance with Reb Elazar Ezkari?"
The Ari replied, "I saw Reb Shimon bar Yochai dance with Reb Elazar Ezkari, so why shouldn’t I?"
The students understood three things: The elderly person was Reb Shimon bar Yochai. The students who danced with him were Reb Shimon's students. And they discovered the exalted stature of Reb Alazar Ezkari, later known as "The Chareidim" after the sefer he authored.
