Editing Reb Zushe Wilmowsky (section)

== First Visit to the Rebbe ==
He first came to the Rebbe before Tishrei 1960. On the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah, during the farbrengen with a crowd of chassidim present, the Rebbe referred to R' Zusha by his earlier title "Partisan," explaining the avodah of a partisan:<blockquote>''"There is a Yid here called Zusha Wilimovsky, and he is a partisan. A partisan's approach is that he doesn't look at big things or small things, but carries out matters of the monarchy. Since there are still 20 or 21 things that need to be done before Moshiach comes, we need to work in a partisan way. Although it's not organized, it's according to the kavannah."''</blockquote>At that farbrengen, the Rebbe spoke about the importance of Torah study in general, and particularly by the guests who came to 770. In this context, the Rebbe asked R' Zusha if he agreed to be responsible for organizing shiurim for the guests. R' Zusha responded affirmatively.

The Rebbe gave R' Zusha his becher, and R' Zusha drank the wine that was in the becher and returned it to the Rebbe. Afterwards, the Rebbe gave him the plate of mezonos that was placed before him, and immediately the chassidim grabbed all the mezonos. R' Zusha looked at the Rebbe, not knowing how to act. The Rebbe looked right and left, and after a few seconds, all the mezonos returned to the plate. When R' Zusha began walking between the benches towards his regular place, the Rebbe told him: "Walk straight, I'm watching over you." This was the first time the Rebbe called him partisan. Over the years, the Rebbe continued to call him 'the Partisan' and 'mein partisan' [my partisan]. Sometimes when the Rebbe didn't see R' Zusha at farbrengens, the Rebbe would ask "Vu iz mein partisan?" [Where is my partisan?] This title stuck with him, and the chassidim also called him this verbally and in writing: the Partisan.

This partisan way was how he operated all the time. He had no funding sources, employees, or personal assistants, but he worked with all his energy, wherever he was needed, and was present wherever he knew he was needed - all with simplicity, without holding an official position and without receiving a salary. In many places, he planted seeds and let others continue to tend to the plants that would grow. This was true with the yeshiva in Lod, through the Reshet, and culminating in establishing and developing Kfar Chabad, and his legendary help to the Rebbe's shluchim wherever they were.

The middah of simcha was an inseparable part of him. He always had a bottle of mashke in hand, and he danced at every opportunity. Before flights and during flights, at farbrengens and at hachnosas orchim meals, at farbrengens he stood behind the Rebbe encouraging and directing the singing; during kos shel bracha distribution he would dance in place for long hours, clapping hands vigorously and encouraging the surrounding simcha with characteristic hand movements.