Being too poor to afford a ride to his rebbe, the holy Reb Elimelech of Liszensk, the great Reb David of Lilov went by foot. On the way, he met a wealthy chasid traveling to Reb Elimelech in his own carriage. He offered Reb David a ride and assumed that he was a poor beggar trying for better luck in a different town. Under this assumption, the wealthy chasid began joking with and mocking Reb David. Reb David remained silent as the chasid belittled him for the entire journey.
When they arrived in Liszensk, the wealthy man went to speak with Reb Elimelech immediately. Reb David, however, spent a few hours meditating and preparing himself to meet with his Rebbe. Reb David finally went in and stayed closeted with Reb Elimelech for over two hours. Upon leaving the Rebbe's room, Reb David explained to the wealthy chasid that he would be remaining in Liszensk for some time and concluded, "Return without me, but you should make sure that on the way back, if you hear a cry of distress, answer the call." The chasid realized that Reb David was no mere beggar, the chasid assured him that his advice would be heeded.
When the chasid was half-way home, he heard a cry for help. Following the cries, he came upon a carriage stuck in deep mud. The chasid tied a rope from his carriage to the other carriage and carefully pulled the carriage and its owner out of danger. Then, the chasid took the owner, a wealthy government official from Warsaw, home with him. He gave him clean clothing, fed him, and kept him until he had recovered from the traumatic ordeal.
Within a few days, the official returned to the chasid's home, asking, "How can I repay you?" The chasid said, "It is enough of a reward to know that I have saved the life of another human being." "At least," begged the official, "let me have your name and address so that I can record it and remember it always." To this request the chasid conceded.
Months passed and the wheel of fortune turned for the chasid. He became so impoverished that he was forced to become a beggar. From town to town the once wealthy chasid went begging for money. One day, while begging in his own city of Warsaw, a passenger in a fancy carriage called out to him. The chasid began to run away, but the carriage pursued him. "Stop, I must speak to you," said the passenger. The chasid stopped running. "Do you recognize me," asked the man to the chasid. "No," was the chasid's reply. "What is your name," the man asked. Upon hearing the chasid's name, the man, now governor of Warsaw, said, "Ten years ago you saved me when my carriage was stuck in the mud. What has happened to you over these years?" The chasid retold the turn of events of the past ten years.
The governor exclaimed, "I never did repay you for saving my life. Accept, therefore, this check for 2000 rubles." The chasid was overjoyed. He started a business and once more became successful. The chasid wished to speak with a tzadik to better understand these turn of events. His rebbe had passed away. So he went to visit Reb David, not knowing this was the Reb David from some ten years before. Reb David asked the chasid to repeat what had transpired over the past decade. He then said to the chasid, "Know, that because you mocked me the entire way to Liszensk, death was decreed for you on High. I, however, knew of the decree and told Reb Elimelech about it. We spent two hours discussing ways to have the decree lifted or lessened. Through prayer and meditation we were able to have the decree changed to ten years of poverty. Now that you have completed those ten years, the wheel of fortune has once more turned in your favor and you will return to your prior wealth and position."
