R. Shmuel Betzalel Sheptel, known among chassidim as Rashbatz, was one of the prominent chassidim of the Tzemach Tzedek, Rebbe Maharash and Rebbe Rashab. In the publications “HaTomim”, the Frierdiker Rebbe describes his incredible journey to Chassidus Chabad and the Tzemach Tzedek. The Rebbe Maharash entrusted him with the education of his son, the Rebbe Rashab, who later entrusted him with the education of his son, the Frierdiker Rebbe. In the year תש"ס (1900), he was appointed as the leading mashpia of Tomchei Temimim, a position which he kept until his last day. He passed away on the 15th of Sivan ה תשס" (1905), and was buried, according to his wish, within 50 amos of the ohel of the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbe Maharash.
The Rashbatz valued time exceedingly. During the time when he mentored the Frierdiker Rebbe (then a young bochur,) he would sometimes wake him up at 1 am saying, “Wake up, wake up, vehinei Hashem nitzav alav,” Hashem’s presence is upon us.
(רשימות היומן עמ' ש"פ)
The Rashbatz once asked his mentor R. Michel Opotzker to show him klipah (impurity). At first R. Michel would not agree, but after much pestering R. Michel agreed to show him. The Rashbaz would later regret this and said that it would have been better had he not seen klipah.
(רשימו"ד החדש עמ' 239)
The Frierdiker Rebbe related that as a child he had the habit of looking out of the window. There was nothing essentially wrong with this, since there was nothing to wrong to see in the streets of Lubavitch. Yet, his mentor the Rashbatz would tell him: Rather than sitting in the home and looking out, it would better for you to stand outside and look into the Rebbe's holy home.
The Rebbe applied this in practice: Being a “Torah yid” means not just to study Torah, but for the Torah to teach the person so that it becomes the person's identity. When one is fully engrossed in the study of Torah, he doesn't look at what is around him.
(ספה"ש תרצ"ו עמ' 10, תו"מ חמ"ה עמ' 117 ואילך)
