Rav Meir was born in 5471/1711 to Rav Yaakov of Premishlan, known as “Yaakov Ish Tom”. Rav Yaakov traced his yichus to Rav Yaakov of Korbil, the Rishon who wrote She’eilos U’Teshuvos Min HaShomayim. Rav Meir’s son was Rav Aharon Leib, who was the father of the well-known Rav Meir’l Premishlaner. Rav Meir’s other sons were Rav Dovid of Kalisch and Rav Pesach Chassid.
In his younger years, Rav Meir supported himself by selling goods for various vendors. Even among the local gentiles he gained a reputation as “Meir the trustworthy”, for his fair business practices and ehrlichkeit.
After a while, Rav Meir gave up working so he would be free to sit and learn in the Bais Medrash all day. He suffered debilitating poverty but stood steadfast in his decision to devote himself entirely to the service of Hashem.
One day a merchant showed up in town with a honeycomb, insisting that he would only sell it to “Meir the trustworthy” and no one else. In no hurry to conclude his shiurim, Rav Meir made the merchant wait until the end of the day. Later that night, after returning from the Bais Medrash, Rav Meir paid a high price for the honeycomb (his ehrlichkeit would not let him buy it for cheaper), even though he was forced to borrow money to do so.
Taking it apart, the Rebbetzin discovered that there was barely any honey in the honeycomb; but then, inspecting it more closely, she found that it concealed a huge sum of money. Rav Meir refused to derive benefit from his metzia without further investigation. In the end, after satisfying himself that this was indeed yad Hashem, he kept the money.
When his grandson, Rav Meir’l of Premishlan, told this story, he added, “Great malochim put the money there, because of his strong middas habitochon.”
According to a mesora, Rav Meir HaGodol wrote a sefer called Ohr Toraso shel Rav Meir, but the sefer was burned. Zechuso yagen aleinu.
