The Sanzer Rebbe heard via direct transmission that the old Belzer Rebbe, R. Shalom [d.1855], of blessed memory, recounted this from someone who was there.
1.
When R. Hayim of Sanz lay on his deathbed he called in all his disciples, foremost among them R. Zundel, the grandfather of the Belzer Rebbe. He blessed R. Zundel: “You shall yet have a son like myself.” R. Zundel was surprised, “Rebbe, at my age?” His daughter the Rebbezin Rebecca Hena cried out just then, “Father, I accept the blessing upon myself.”
2.
Since R. Hayim Sanz was a great scholar and saint, the Besht made great efforts to make him his disciple. He saw by his holy spirit that if he made him a Hasid the messiah would come. So, he came to Brody with ten of his choicest disciples to meet R. Hayim. He found him struggling over a difficult [passage in] Ez Hayim. R. Hayim showed him the difficulty and the Besht said to him: “You are studying the outer [dimension] – one must look for the inner [dimension]” and he explained to him the meaning of the Holy Ari. “And the entire house filled with light.” When R. Hayim beheld this, he cried out: “Long live my master, teacher, and rabbi!”
and he became his hasid. He then led him and his entourage out of the house.
However, contemplating the great deed he had accomplished, to make such a great scholar his disciple, he feared that this would lead him to pride, and he and all his disciples would be lost, heaven forbid. So, he sought out a way to turn R. Hayim Sanzer into an opponent.
In the market there were horses. The Besht went over to the horses and stroked and smacked them. When R. Hayim, of blessed memory, saw this he called out: “I don’t understand – this is not for me.” And he ceased being his hasid.
3.
The Belzer also recounted that the Besht came to Brody often. There is even to this day in Brody a wine cellar where the Besht used to regularly drink mead with his disciples. Whenever the Besht would come he would do something to please R. Hayim. He knew that R. Hayim enjoyed it when he heard something he could make fun of about the Besht so the Besht would always do something so that R. Hayim would have something to laugh at.
