Reb Yechiel Michel Opotzker (Opotzk is the name of an inn) was a great chossid of the Alter Rebbe. He had a tremendously deep mind and was a very great masmid. He was a great gaon with thorough knowledge of Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, the Poskim and their sources in the Rambam and Rashba and Sifrei Kabbala. Reb Michel was known to be a great ba’al madreiga who had ruach hakodesh and gilui Eliyahu. He was the teacher of the Rashbatz.
Reb Michel never became a Rov and despised any kind of position of honor and authority. In general, he distanced himself from people and wanted to be alone. Nevertheless, when a chossid passed by his town on his way to Lubavitch, Reb Michel would carry his bags and escort him two or three kilometers.
When the Rashbatz was seventeen, he was told by Reb Michel that he was ready to go to the Rebbe. Reb Michel was an old man but insisted on escorting the Rashbatz and carrying his suitcase. The eltere chassidim were wary of the bizarre scene and protested, “Is it correct for an older man to serve a bochur?!” Reb Michel replied, “He (the Rashbatz) will be a greater chossid than you...”
When Rashbatz traveled to the Tzemach Tzeddek, Reb Michel gave him a sealed PaN and warned him not to read it. On the way, Rashbatz could not resist and he opened the envelope: the PaN inside was blank on both sides...
He arrived in Lubavitch early Friday morning after having walked about 20 kilometers from the nearby town of Rudnia. Entering the Beis Medrash he found chassidim of all ages learning, as they would do all Thursday night, and he quickly fell asleep. Soon, Reb Chaim Ber the meshares entered the Beis Medrash and asked, “Who arrived from Reb Michel Opotzker?” Rashbatz was sound asleep and no one else knew from where he had come. Reb Chaim Ber left, but returned a short while later. On the fourth attempt, Rashbatz woke up and came forward. Reb Chaim Ber told him that he was immediately to go with him to the Tzemach Tzeddek. Rashbatz was hesitant to go before going to the mikvah, but he did not have a choice.
Upon entering the Tzemach Tzeddek’s room he froze in shock and could not move a limb. The Tzemach Tzeddek rebuked him (for opening the PaN), “A young man must follow orders!” The Tzemach Tzeddek stuck his hand in Rashbatz’s jacket pocket, took out the PaN, and began reading it... Stunned, Rashbatz remained frozen in his place, until Reb Chaim Ber carried him out of the room.
)שעח 'ע היומן רשימת(
