Once, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi told his mechutan, Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, the following story regarding the dveikus of the Ohr HaChaim:
There was once a terrible decree enacted against Bnei Yisrael by the goyim and the leaders of the kehilla decided that they must daven and bribe the authorities to attempt to rescind the harsh judgment. They voted and unanimously agreed that they must take emergency measures and ask the Ohr HaChaim to daven on their behalf.
Quickly they rushed in alarm to the Ohr HaChaim’s Bais Medrash, where they found him sunk deep in holy thoughts. They could see with their own eyes that the Tzaddik was in a world of his own and they feared to approach him. They waited, patiently hoping that any minute he would awaken from this state, but were disappointed to see that as time passed the Tzaddik’s condition remained the same; he was in a state of such intense dveikus that he neither responded nor even acknowledged their presence.
They knew that if anyone should touch him even just slightly, or brush against his clothes, he would immediately awaken, and they were sure that he would gladly come to their aid in such a time of distress and need. Still, they were afraid to disturb the Tzaddik, because they knew just how careful he was and how upset he became when anyone touched him or disturbed his immediate surroundings, interrupting his state of intense tahara. They therefore finally decided to bring a young, pure child, who had never sinned or thought negative thoughts. They immersed the child in the mikve and dressed him in brand new clothing; only then did they allow the child to touch the cloak of the Ohr HaChaim HaKodosh gently, just for a second. As soon as the child’s fingers brushed the Tzaddik’s cloak, he awakened from his dveikus and returned to normal.
Concluded Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi to Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, “See just how great a level of dveikus the Ohr HaChaim HaKodosh had; his love and awe of Hashem were also amazingly lofty as well. (Lemaan Yeidu Bonim Yivoldu #91)
