The tzaddik's declaration “a day for a year, a day for a year” echoes the punishment of the spies who rejected the Promised Land. In both cases, one day in the Land is equivalent to a year outside it, but here Rabbi Moshe was like Moses, the leader and sender of the spies, coming to rectify the sin of the spies with his great longing and ascent to the Land. Indeed, his soul connection to Moses was particularly strong. It is said that Rabbi Moshe Eliakim Beria of Kozhnitz declared: "Whoever wants to recognize the image of the Faithful Shepherd (Moses) should look at the radiant countenance of Rabbi Moshele."
The principle of "a day for a year" appears elsewhere in the Bible, in the time of the prophet Ezekiel, who lay on his side for forty days. Here too it was to rectify the sins of the People of Israel. Interestingly, “a day for a year” has the same gematria as “truth”, and Ezekiel has the same gematria as Joseph. These concepts are closely linked, as it is said of Moses (the first to prophesy about "a day for a year"), “Moses is true, and his Torah is true.” Joseph represents the Divine attribute of foundation, whose inner essence is truth—the Almighty’s seal. This connection was also expressed in actual deed, when “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him,” essentially adopting the inner quality of Joseph’s attribute.
Although the prophet Ezekiel dwelled outside the Land of Israel, one can certainly say, based on Rabbi Moshe's own words, that the years of a great tzaddik are equivalent to days lived in the Land of Israel. Once, Rabbi Moshe of Lelov heard the words of the Holy Jew of Peshischa, who said that success, which is an abundance that comes through natural means, is possible even outside the Land. In contrast, blessing is an abundance above the natural order, and it belongs specifically to the Land of Israel, as the verse states: "May God bless you from Zion." To this, the tzaddik responded, “One who sanctifies himself from above and below—even the space around his body—for him, blessing can occur even outside the Land of Israel, for this too is an aspect of the Land of Israel.”
Either way, it emerges that the Land of Israel is the source of all blessing above nature. One can therefore suggest a new intention to have during the Priestly Blessing: when the priests begin with the word “May [God] bless you”, one should have in mind the verse, “may God bless you from Zion”, to merit reaching the Land of Israel.
Remarkably, the blessing of the Land was once again intertwined for Rabbi Moshe with matters of “a day for a year.” The chasid Reb Yedidya from Kshonz (Książ, Poland) would travel to the Gutter Yid [the Tzaddik] of Neustadt, the son of the Maor VaShemesh, while his wife would travel to Rabbi Moshe of Lelov. Occasionally, when she visited the Rebbe, she would ask him to bless her with a son, for she already had five daughters. Even though she once heard from his holy mouth that he couldn't help with this, she continued to implore him, with strong faith in tzaddikim.
On one occasion, the Rebbe acquiesced, agreeing to bless her on one condition: that she give him a sum sufficient for a journey to the Land of Israel, and that she gives this large sum with her husband, Reb Yedidya’s, consent. She was overjoyed, but said: “Holy Rebbe, I’m afraid, for it is well known that children who come through miraculous means are often not entirely well....” The Rebbe replied that the child would be perfectly fine, and the woman traveled home and asked her husband about giving the redemption money.
When her husband heard, he replied that he needed to consult with his Rebbe, the Guter Yid. The man immediately traveled to Neustadt and told his Rebbe about Rabbi Moshe of Lelov's words and the sum of money he was asking for. The Rebbe answered: “I agree that you should give Rabbi Moshe of Lelov the money, but on the absolute condition that the child will live a long life.” The husband returned home, conveyed the words of the tzaddik from Neustadt to his wife, and asked her to speak with Rabbi Moshe of Lelov. The woman did so, and Rabbi Moshe of Lelov replied that he promises her that for each and every day that he, the Rebbe, would be in Jerusalem, the child would live a full year. He then added that he himself would come to their town of Kshonz to pray there.
When he came to the town, he prayed with such great intensity that the townspeople thought the walls of the house were shaking. After the prayer, he called Reb Yedidya and his wife, honored them with whiskey and cake, and wished them: Mazal Tov! He then added that it had been difficult work in this matter and with God's help he had succeeded. From there, Reb Yedidya traveled to his Rebbe, the Guter Yid, and told him the whole story. The Guter Yid responded: “It is true that I know the holy Rabbi of Lelov, but I didn't know the great extent of his power in holiness!” The Guter Yid also honored him with whiskey and cake and blessed him with Mazal Tov.
Their son, the learned and wealthy Rabbi Yeshaya Kshonzer of blessed memory, was born. Indeed, he lived fifty-five years, for Rebbe Moshele was in the Holy Land seventy-four days, and in the holy city of Jerusalem he lived fifty-five days.
