We know about
VeLo Am Ho'Oretz Chossid, but can a
Tzaddik be a
Tzaddik/Baal Mofes without being a
Talmid Chochom? Surprisingly enough that seems to be the general concensus when it comes to
Reb Shayelle, sadly enough, and that point is addressed in the book. They try hard to disspel it as a myth, and bring several stories to counter that opinion, saying that it was a
chelek of his hiding his greatness in
Torah and
Avodah, and that from time to time he would remind people of his proficiency in
Torah, just so that they remember... Despite that it seems like the general opinion did stem from the fact that he would read from
Noam Elimelech during
tishen, instead of saying
divrei torah like some other
Rebbes. During the
poezer (recess) between
Shacharis and
Mussaf on
Rosh Hashonoh, when other
Rebbes would go to the
Mikveh and learn Zohar etc.
Reb Shayelle would cut cake and pour
schnapps into cups so that hungry Jews would have what to eat... And believe it or not, but they say that his final - or at least one of his final - request(s) before he passed away was to tell his
hoizgezint that they should prepare lots of food for all the people that will soon come to the
levaya, so that they not go hungry... No wonder they say in the name of the
Minchos Elozor that he said on
Reb Shayelle that אויף בארשט און קארטאפל איז קיינער נישט קיין מתנגד.....
So when I said yesterday that the
Petrushener Rov - a
Pressburger Talmid - belittles
Reb Shayelle's prowess in Torah I may have singled him out unfairly. We can infer the same opinion from the
Munkacser Rov, and I see some of you heard the same thing from your antescedents. I'm very bothered by this, especially when it comes from friends, not "
Misnagdim," because it perpetuates the myth that
Chassidim can't and don't learn. After all, here we have this
Rebbe of thousands of
Chassidim, or at least admirers, who could see
MiSof HaOlam VeAd Sofo, Kipshuto, who could send wild dogs to hold back a wagon of his
Chossid and keep his C
hossid out of harm's way, who could keep the Budapest express train from leaving until his C
hossid got on that train , and he had difficulty with a "
shtikkel tosfos?!" So עולמו של אבא seems to
bavoren this question and says that the reason he was
zoche to that level of
ruach haKodesh was because he was
nizhar in
Cheyt Hayodua and because he gave away all his money while still a
MaSHB"K in
Liska. What also is baffling is that
Reb Hershelle Lisker is the one that took him out of Yeshivah - after
Reb Shayelle's mother sent him there to learn - and made him his
MaSHBaK! His mother heard about it and wanted to take him home, but RHL convinced her that he'd lose nothing by becoming his
Meshamesh, and she agreed. So did he remove him from
Yeshivah because learning was not his "thing?" Can one be a
Tzaddik without being well-versed in Torah?!
The Minchas Elozor of Munkacs in Marienbad (perhaps)
