R’ Eizik Homler

R’ Eizik Homler was one of the prominent Chassidim of the early generations of chassidus. Although a yungerman in the times of the Alter Rebbe, he was already a chosid of note then and recognized by the Alter Rebbe (who once invited him in to a maamar that was being said exclusively before the elder Chassidim, remarking “a yungerman ken veren an alter man”). He was later a distinguished chosid of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek.

Once the Tzemach Tzedek sent R’ Eizik on a mission to R’ Yisrael of Ryzhin (there was a very close relationship of great love and affecrion between the Tzemach Tzedek and the Ryzhiner, and the Tzemach Tzedek would refer to R’ Yisrael as the ‘heilige Ruzhiner”). On Friday, R’ Eizek was conversing with the Ryzhuner, who was smoking a pipe.

The holy Ryzhiner had the custom that from chatzos on Friday he would accept the holiness on Shabbos upon himself, and refrain from any work. Thus, as the hour of midday arrived, the Ryzhiner removed the pipe and pushed it aside. At the same time, his face changed it’s appearance to such a degree that, as R’ Eizik later testified, had he not known who it was he would not have recognized him.

R’ Eizik later related: “As I witnessed this, I felt intense shame, such a shame as I had not felt in my entire lifetime. For I clearly saw how this Tzaddik is ascending to higher realms, while I am remaining down below”.