Once, the holy brothers, Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk and Rebbe Reb Zusha of Hanipoli, arrived in the town of Ritshival where, at the time, Rav Levi Yitzchok, mechaber of the Kedushas Levi, was serving as Rav. He was still a young avreich at the time and this was his first position, though later he would be famous as the Rav of Berditchev.
It was late at night and all the streets of Ritshival were dark. The only house that had any light emanating from it was Rav Levi Yitzchok’s, since he was up late studying Torah by candlelight. They knocked on the door and even at such a late hour the Rav was happy to receive them and graciously welcomed his unexpected guests. He set about fulfilling the mitzva of hachnossas orchim, setting up their beds for the night. When he finished they laid themselves down to sleep.
As they laid down, the Berditchever continued his studies and devotions while they asked one another, “Who is this Rebbel’eh to whom Eliyohu HaNovi makes a regular appearance?” Rav Levi Yitzchok heard them speaking about him and understood that their pauper’s dress was but a ruse and that these were no simple travelers if they could discern such a thing.
He turned to the two brothers and said, “Are you not the well-known brothers who are wandering in self-imposed exile from town to town and city to city across the land?”
“Yes,” they admitted.
“Do you know how to learn?” he asked.
“Yes,” they answered. “What about the hidden secrets of the Torah – can you study that as well?” he asked.
“Yes,” answered the brothers.
“And what about the kavonos, the Kabbalistic and divine secrets of the Birkas HaMozon – the Grace After Meals?” he asked further.
“Yes, we know that as well,” answered the brothers.
“Then please teach them to me!” asked Rav Levi Yitzchok. The two guests were unable to refuse their honorable host’s request and they explained the kavonos to him. Then, the Berditchever himself repeated these very same kavonos, except that he said them with vitality and with a certain special sanctity and holiness that made his words simply shine!
The two guests were very taken with the way their host spoke, since they had never before heard such a recitation in such a way! When he finished he told them, “This is nothing; if you really wish to hear more, things such as you have never heard or dreamed of, let your legs take you on a journey to Mezritch, where the great Maggid lives and your souls will be enlivened!”
The holy brothers, who understood the hidden secrets he had demonstrated and who had seen with their very own eyes how Eliyohu HaNovi’s presence here was a common occurrence, later traveled to Mezritch and became talmidim of the great Maggid, the holy Ba’al Shem Tov’s successor.
(Sippurei Tzaddikim HaAchim Al HaKedoshim Rebbe Elimelech MiLizhensk veRebbe Zusha MeHanipoli – Brooklyn tav shin mem gimmel)
