Rav Tal Zwecker heard this story from Rav Moshe Weinberger Mara DeAsra of Aish Kodesh, Woodmere, NY, who heard it from the ba'al ha'maase himself (the protagonist of the story). There was once a talmid chacham who was not a chassid. Unfortunately as he grew older his eyesight deteriorated and he was slowly becoming blind, rachmana litzlan. His family urged him to visit Rav Yoel of Satmar zt”l, well known for his blessings and their wondrous ability to miraculously aid and heal others. However, he refused stating that he was no chassid and would not go to a chassidishe rebbe for a blessing. Eventually as his eyesight grew worse and he could no longer study or learn Torah his family convinced him to visit Rav Yoel not because of his fame or stature as a wonder working rebbe but as his fame as a talmid chacham (a learned man) for the Gemara tells us to request the blessings and prayers of a talmid chacham for the sick. Rav Yoel, told him that he should study the chassidishe book Meor Eynaim (which means the light of the eyes) and that that would aid his failing eyesight., The more and more he studied the more he regained his eyesight until Baruch Hashem he was able to see normally once again! Tzaddik gozer, a righteous tzaddik decrees and Hashem fulfills.
