Interrupting the Rapture

A tradition from a son-in-law of the Dzikover Rebbe tells that Rav Naftoli of Ropshitz sat at the Shalosh Seudos table of his teacher, the Noam Elimelech. Watching the Rebbe from his place at the table, he understood that if Rav Elimelech stayed any longer in such rapture, his soul might, Heaven forbid, depart.

Rav Naftoli rapped on the table and said with a smile, “The verse says that Hashem will turn to us from His place in mercy. Are there brooms in Heaven to sweep with?” (In Yiddish, the word for turning is the same as the word for sweeping.) “The verse simply means that He should turn from His place with mercy.”

The jest pulled Rav Elimelech out of his deveikus. Dreading the Rebbe's displeasure, Rav Naftoli hurried from the table to his lodgings. Rav Elimelech summoned him and said, “How dare you interrupt my ecstasy?” Rav Naftoli replied, “We still need the Rebbe here in this world.” Seeing that his talmid had acted out of good intentions, Rav Elimelech said, “Yasher koach,” and gave him the honor of leading the bentching.