The following tradition was related by Rav Avigdor, the Av Beis Din of Novo Sanz, who heard it from his grandfather, the Divrei Chaim:
When the two Tzaddikim, Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizhensk, and his brother, Rebbe Reb Zusha of Hanipoli, were wandering together in self-imposed exile, they suffered extreme deprivation, going from place to place like beggars, sleeping on benches in the Bais Medrash, often fasting for lack of food, simultaneously loving and drawing their fellow Yidden to teshuva, Ahavas Hashem and Ahavas Yisrael wherever their holy feet led them. This journey served as a kappora for all Klal Yisrael, as well as to perfect themselves, and lasted some nine years. Toward the end of their travels they ended up in Linsk for Shabbos.
The Rav of Linsk was the renowned Gaon, Rav Mendel Linsker, the father of Rav Naftoli Ropshitzer. The two holy brothers came dressed in rags and tatters, and this is how they appeared in the Bais Medrash of the Linsker Rav. No one took any notice of them all Shabbos long. No one invited them to partake of a Friday night meal and they were reduced to eating whatever crumbs of bread they carried in their packs. The same scenario repeated itself Shabbos day and at Sholosh Seudos, when they drew close to hear the Divrei Torah. They thought it was strange that no one took any notice or invited them at all and wondered at this fact even as they drew close on Motzo’ei Shabbos to hear the berocha of Havdola and recite borei me’orei ho’aish on the candle.
It was then that the young lad Naftoli laughed at them and poked fun, calling them silly names. “Ha! Ha!! Meleich – Freilich, and Zisha – Kishya!!!”
His father, Rav Mendel Linsker, turned to the two holy brothers and remarked, “You think I don’t recognize you or know who you are? If I had wandered in self-imposed exile as long as you two, my face would look better and more radiant than yours! You would do better to rectify the world by eating more than by fasting!”
He gave them three coins for charity and sent them on their way. When they examined the coins, they discovered them to be three silver francs, a princely sum indeed. They were worried that this was a mistake, but Rebbe Reb Zusha exclaimed, “Wait, the Rav told us to serve Hashem by eating. Let’s see if this money is enough to purchase all the food we need, then we can give back the change; if not, we will know it’s no mistake.” They spent an additional year this way in golus and when they again stopped in Linsk, the Rav snapped his fingers and said, “Now you have succeeded in fulfilling my intentions!”
Later, the Rebbe Elimelech became well known as a great Tzaddik and Rebbe. When the Linsker Rav passed away, his son Rav Naftoli wanted to travel to Rebbe Reb Elimelech and study under him and become his talmid. He was deterred, however, by the memory of how he had poked fun at the Tzaddikim as a young boy. Nonetheless, after some hesitation, Rav Naftoli decided to approach Rebbe Reb Elimelech, ask his forgiveness and to ask the Rebbe to accept him as a talmid.
