Good story about Reb Elimelech MiLizhensk (yahrzeit today)

ChossidMom ↓

Wed, Feb 27 2008, 8:25 am

I posted this on the Chassidish forum but I think that it's a good story and that you all might enjoy it.

Did you know that today is the Yahrzeit of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk?

For anyone who doesn't know, he was the "continuer" of Chassidus after the Ba'al Shem Tov. A biiiig tzaddik and ba'al moifes.

As a matter of fact, my husband just told me about an amazing moifes by Reb Elimelech.
My husband's best friend became, a few years ago, the Piaseczna Rebbe after his father passed away. He is a descendant of the original Piaseczna Rebbe and a nephew of the famous one who perished in the Warsaw ghetto (Rav Kalman Klonimus Shapira HY"D).

DH was just telling me that his friend, Rav Shapira, came into being as a result of a moifes done by Reb Elimelech. Here is the story:

The Kozhnitzer Rebbe's daughter wasn't able to give birth to live children. They kept dying. She desperately wanted children and her father, the rebbe, went to Reb Elimelech and asked for a bracha. (BTW, her name was Perele and she was such a tsadekes that it was said that you could bring her kvitlach).
Reb Elimelech blessed her that she would have a child. She gave birth to a child, but when he was 6 years old Reb Elimelech passed away and the child did too.
It was said that all the while he was alive he did shemira on the child. She was very broken and decided to travel to Reb Elimelech's grave to daven. On the way, she stopped for Shabbos at the home of a rebbe (I forgot his name). She told him where she was going and he said to her that there is no point in going to the kever because Reb Elimelech is already so high up in Shamayim that she won't find him there at the grave!! That night Reb Elimelech came to him in his sleep and told him that he had worshipped Hashem with that body and he is still connected to it, so that she should come. She went and davened. Shortly thereafter she was blessed with a child who became the "Saraf of Moglitza", a big Tzaddik.

Right before she gave birth, Reb Levi Yitzchak MiBerditchev came to visit her father, the Kozhnitzer Rav and saw a Chanuka Menora in the house. He asked the rebbe to give him the menora as a gift. The rebbe gave it to him. Then, he gave it back to the rebbe and said to him "I am lending you this menora until your grandson will be married in 20 years. At the wedding you tell him that I gave it to him to light for many, many years". That night Perele dreamt of her 6 year old son who had passed away and she cried when she saw him. He said to her "Why are you crying? Reb Elimelech blessed you with a child and Reb Levi Yitzchak MiBerditchev guaranteed him a long life!"

This is how the Saraf of Moglitza was assured of a long life. My husband's friend, Rav Shapira is a great grandson of this man.