The Minchas Elozor of Munkacsz told the following story:
The Arizal testified that he witnessed the entire heavenly host – the pamalya shel maala – all go together to hear the deroshos of Rav Moshe Alshich and therefore he also went to hear his holy words when he sat and sermonized in public.
One time, the Arizal was present when Rav Moshe Alshich was giving a derosha about Lovon HaArami and how he swindled, tricked and hoodwinked Yaakov. The pasuk says he cheated Yaakov aseres monim (Bereishis 31:8 & 31:41) and this, explained the Alshich, meant ten times ten, or a hundred times over! He then proceeded to explain and detail each of the hundred ways in which Lovon cheated Yaakov this way and that. The audience sat mesmerized and transfixed, enjoying the derosha and how the Alshich enumerated again and again the tricks that Lovon had employed against Yaakov one hundred different ways. During this derosha, the Arizal laughed and left.
Afterward, they asked the Arizal why he had laughed. The Arizal explained that he actually saw Lovon HoArami standing beside the Alshich as he spoke and gave his derosha.
“With each explanation of the hundred deceptions, Lovon nodded his head, agreeing with the Alshich saying, ‘Yes, that’s it...that’s true...that’s exactly how I did it and tricked Yaakov and cheated him that time. Yes, and that’s the other way I cheated him again...uh huh...’ That’s what made me laugh,” explained the Arizal. (Maso’os Yerushalayim Day 9 Footnote 17 p. 190)
