The Shinover Rav, mechaber of Divrei Yechezkel, did not refrain from saying Tachanun on the yahrzeits of various tzaddikim. Similarly, he did not have the custom to visit the gravesites of tzaddikim. There was one exception: He observed the yahrzeit, and visited the tziyun of the heilige Ropshitzer Rav, mechaber of Zera Kodesh to whom the Shinover Rav felt he owed his very life. This is the story why: When Rav Yechezkel Shraga was seven-years old when his life was almost cut short by a terrible accident. Rav Yechezkel Shraga’s uncle, Rav Avigdor of Dukla, was in town visiting his brother, Rav Chaim of Sanz in Rudnick. At the end of the visit, when Rav Avigdor entered his carriage to leave, he realized that he had forgotten something back in the house and sent young Yechezkel Shraga on an errand to fetch the forgotten object.
In his zeal to help his uncle, he dashed across the street. A passing wagon carrying a heavy load of lumber came careening down the road at high speed, running him over! The heavy wheels had crushed his body. When the doctors rushed to examine his mangled body, they shook their heads. They despaired for his life as the surgeon determined that the wheel had sliced his liver in half!
Hearing the terrible diagnosis, Rav Avigdor raised his hands heavenward and cried, “Ribbono Shel Olam – Master of the World, if I am destined to have a son, I would gladly exchange him so that this young man’s life be spared.” And so it was that Rav Avigdor never had any sons born to him, only daughters.
The holy Divrei Chaim examined his son’s broken body and each limb he touched, the bones grew back together and straightened themselves out! Even later, in his old age, people would remark – especially the physicians – how straight and stately a stature the Shinover Rav had!
The Divrei Chaim still feared for his young child’s life, as Yechezkel Shraga’s internal organs had been damaged beyond natural repair. He sent word with one of the chassidim to his own rebbe, the great tzaddik, Rav Naftoli Ropshitzer, to daven for his son’s life. The Rebbe did this and more: he sent back a flask of pure olive oil with instructions to anoint and massage the child’s body. In a short while, miraculously, the child healthy again.
In the weakened state of old age, the Shinover Rav would recount his miraculous salvation. He would recall how when he was massaged with the oil sent by the Ropshitzer, he could feel his bones repair themselves and how his organs regenerated and straightened themselves until his body became healed and whole again. He would then sigh and remark longingly, “From where could we get such pure, holy oil today if we needed it?” (Divrei Yechezkel pp. 2–3)
