R. Shmelke and the [author of the] Hafla’ah went to the Magid to see if he was indeed great. They were there for several days and were not very impressed. So they decided to leave.
When they went to take leave of the Magid he told them – they should take leave of R. Zusha Anipoler. He advised them that he was sitting in the study house [kloyz] and it would be worth asking him to interpret the Mishnah [that states] “One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad just as he recites a blessing for the good” [M. Berakhot 9:5] – So they went to the synagogue [shul] – and they saw a Jew dressed in rags sitting somewhere behind a bench – and it was pointed out to them that this person was R. Zusha.
So they told him that the Magid had told them to ask him to interpret the Mishnah. R. Zusha looked at them and said: “I don’t know what he means. Only someone who ever felt bad can tell you that – I have never experienced anything bad.”
I.F.
Bilitzer Rabbi
Rabbi Stern
