Sobered in an Instant in the Rebbe's Courtyard
As I Heard Them, Vol. 1, pp. 352-353, no. 53
My zeide told me that the Rebbe Maharash knew how he spoke (after a few LeChaims) of the Chas-sidus of Reb Aizel of Homil. For although he referred to Reb Aizel as Der Hieger 30 or Der Homiler, and reserved the term "Rebbe" for the Tzemach Tzedek, nevertheless as Reb Aizel's outstanding disciple he had high regard for his Chassidus.
Early one summer morning as he walked through the Rebbe's courtyard after a late-night farbrengen and a generous measure of mashkeh, he looked up to see the Rebbe Maharash standing by the window. "Mordechai Yoel, come here," the Rebbe said, and began talking with him.
When the conversation reached the topic of Reb Aizel's Chassidus, my zeide said (with a nigun), "The Rebbe doesn't need it, nor do the Rebbe's children need it. But the Rebbe's grandchildren and regular chassidim 30 "The local one." should learn Reb Aizel's Chassidus. " Concluding his words he glanced upward and there, in the sec-ond window, saw the Tzemach Tzedek. "I was sober in an instant," my zeide recounted, "and fled. "