The Divrei Chaim Listens to Torah Lishma

When Reb Isaac'l Ziditchover was a yungerman and still anonymous, he once travelled to Sanz, where he sat learning in the Divrei Chaim's Bais Medrash. The Divrei Chaim's home was built so that in order to go outdoors he first had to pass through the Bais Medrash, and the same was true in reverse when he wished to re-enter his home.

One freezing day, when the Divrei Chaim reached the door of the Bais Medrash, he stopped. The sounds of sweet Torah learning enthralled him so that he leaned toward the keyhole to listen, enraptured. He stood this way for so long that his beard froze to the door handle and to the metal of the lock and the keyhole.

When the family noticed his long absence, they went searching for him and found him frozen and rooted to the spot. After they brought him home and warmed him up, they asked what had happened. The Divrei Chaim answered, "I heard the sweet sounds of Torah being learned lishma. The sound was so sweet and pleasant that I had no wish to go inside and disturb the learning and interrupt Rav Isaac'l."

On a different occasion, the Divrei Chaim remarked that every day he heard a heavenly voice proclaim, "Yitzchok Isaac ben Etya learns Torah lishma."