Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlotshuv zt"l
הרב יחיאל מיכל בן יצחק מזלוטשוב זצ"ל
Elul 25 , 5546
Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlotshuv zt"l
Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov (25 Elul 1786), son of Rabbi Yitzchak of Drohovitch, was introduced by his father to the Baal Shem Tov at a young age. He also became a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch. It is said that his sermons consistently aroused his listeners to repentance. Many of his teachings are collected in Mayim Rabim.
http://www.ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=rebbeBios
Stories of Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlotshuv zt"l
Rav Michel of Zlotshuv was once visiting Brody and stayed at the home of Rav Yehuda Zundel, who treated Rav Michel as an honored guest. Before he left and traveled onward, Rav Michel blessed him that he should have a child who would light up the entire world. Rav Yehuda Zundel’s young daughter Rivka Henya was listening and remarked, “But my parents are too old to have any more children; his berocha must then apply to me!” True enough – her son was the Sar Sholom of Belz.
Another version says that Rav Yehuda Zundel had a dream, which he related to the Chachmei HaKloiz in Brody, in which he was promised a child who would light up the world. He himself was puzzled by this vision, due to his old age. When his young daughter Rivka Henya heard this, she remarked, “May it be His will that I merit this child,” and all the sages of the Kloiz answered, “Amen!”
Divrei Torah of Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlotshuv zt"l
a fools gathering at a foolish place
Mishna Avos 3:3 – Rav Chanina son of Tradyon used to say: Two who sit together and do not exchange words of Torah are a gathering of mocking cynics, as it is stated (Tehillim 1:1): “And among a gathering of cynics he did not sit.”
The Modzitzer Rebbe says in Kelalei Oraisa (os shin): I once heard from the Chassid, the elder Rav Meshulem of Plontsk, how my grandfather, the Kuzhmirer Rebbe, was once visiting the town of Plontsk, and a wealthy gvir, who was a learned lamdan and a Misnagged and knew my grandfather, invited him to stay at his home. The gvir prepared a meal in my grandfather’s honor, and as they sat at the table, the host was in a good mood and invited my grandfather to say a few words.
My holy grandfather grabbed the table by both hands and gave it a shove, pushing it far away, to emphasize and underscore his words: “[Chazal say,] ‘If two are sitting together but there are no words of Torah shared between them, then this is a gathering place of fools.’ It should have said that they themselves are fools. [Why does the Mishna’s criticism seem to focus on the gathering place rather than focusing on the fools themselves?] Rather, the reason for this is because if two Torah scholars sit together and they have no words of Torah to share, it must be due to the impurity of the place where they are sitting, because that table served previously as a gathering for fools [their negative influence affected and infected it].” Afterwards, says the Modzitzer, I found this concept and explanation in the name of Rav Michele of Zlotshuv. (Kelalei Oraisa os shin)