I know a very Chashuva Yungerman in Lakewood who for years has been going to an old Novardoker as his Rebbe. He told me that he is sure he has Ruach HaKodesh. This man once told him that he shouldn’t worry about his financial situation; Hashem will pull him out of his problem. The Yungerman had no idea of any problem, but as soon as he came home… sure enough he had a major scary money problem. And right afterwards, he had an unbelievable Yeshua. I once called this old Novardoker (who learns day and night B'hasmada Rabba). He doesn’t come to the telephone because of Bittul Torah. He is a very decent person, but you can tell that he has no fear of humans. He has zero interest in impressing anyone.
He is always relaxed and calm, and he acts very normal. No long Shmoneh Esrei’s or any kind of unusual behavior that would betray his greatness. I once complimented him on his Kriyas Sh'ma, and I could tell that he was concerned about getting Kavod for this. He said: “My Kriyas Sh'ma is very Shvach!” He is very down-to-earth, and very self-confident and stable. He lives with Hashem, and with his blatt Gemara. A quiet Tzadik Nistar. People who know him realize that he is truly a giant in disguise. He advises people to learn ten minutes of Mussar a day. I have no doubt that he learns much more. You don’t become a Tzadik like him so fast, and especially if he’s a Novardoker, his Mussar and Hadracha in Avodas Hashem gets credit.
This is besides his Ligging in learning all his life. And going to Vaadim where the Rosh Vaad directs each individual how to work on himself. They say about this person that right after World War II he was part of a group who made a Kabala (resolution) Bli Neder to be M'kayem: שִבְּתִי בְבֵית ה' כָל יְמֵי חַּיַי and stay in the Bais Medrash for the rest of his life. He is not a well-to-do person, but his Bitachon level is super-high and he managed to raise a beautiful family and marry them off. He is a very quiet and passive (but confident) type of person, and I can’t imagine him ever knocking on a door to ask for money. His family is very Chashuv.
I once watched the way he dealt with a family member. He was full of encouragement, and he was laughing enthusiastically at the family member’s jokes. You could tell he was an unusually supportive father who makes a child feel good about everything he does. He is broad-minded, and didn’t push anyone in his family to become Novardokers. On the contrary, they go different D’rachim and with his wholehearted support!
❖ ❖ ❖