Source: Modified and supplemented by R. Yerachmiel Tilles from the English edition of Sipurei Chasidim. The original Hebrew was composed and published by a leading Torah GIANT of the 20th century, Rabbi Shlomo-Yosef (“Shay”) Zevin [1890-1978] in 1955. [The translation into English by Reb Uri Kaploun was published by Artscroll in 1980 and titled by them “A Treasury of Chasidic Tales.”]
As an introduction to the above story, Rav Zevin reports (and R. Kaploun translates):
I encountered this story in a manuscript written by the hand of Rabbi Raphael Wolf of Skoli, Galicia, who died in Jerusalem early in 1929 at the age of ninety years plus. Rabbi Raphael heard it from an elder chasid of repute by the name of Rabbi Alter of Yazlivitz, who heard it from the mouth of the tzadik Rabbi Meir of Premishlan (who died in 1850), son of Rabbi Aharon Leib, the protagonist of this story.
Why this week? See the first three words of this week’s Torah reading, Behukotai, with the explanation of Rashi. See also the next-to-last Mishna in this week’s chapter of Pirkei Avot, 5:21. (See also the last clause in Avot 4:10)
Biographical notes:
Rabbi Aharon-Leib of Premishlan [? – 2 Adar 1783] was the son of an elder disciple of the Baal Shem tov. He himself was a follower of Rabbi Yehiel-Michil of Zlotchov and then the Rebbe Eliemelech of Lyzhinsk, and the father of the very well-known and wildly popular tzadik and chasidic rebbe, Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, whom he named for his deceased father.
Rebbe Elimelech of Lyzhinsk [5477 - 21 Adar 5547 (1717 - March 1787)], was (along with his brother, Reb Zusha) a major disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch, successor to the Baal Shem Tov. As the leading Rebbe of the subsequent generation in Poland-Galitzia, most of the great Chassidic dynasties from that region stem from his disciples. His book, Noam Elimelech, is one of the most popular of all Chassidic works. [It is told that before he died, Rebbe Elimelech bequeathed the sight of his eyes to the Seer of Lublin, the spirit of his heart to the Kozhnitzer Maggid, the soul of his mind to Rebbe Menachem-Mendel of Rimanov, and the power of speech to Rebbe AvrahamYehoshua-Heshel of Apt. Other major disciples included Rabbi Naftali-Tzvi of Ropshitz, Rabbi Mosh-Leib of Sassov, and Rabbi Klonymo-Kalman Epstein, known as the Maor VaShemesh.]
