Editing The Maggid of Mezritch (section)

== With the Alter Rebbe ==
The Alter Rebbe first came to the Maggid in 5524. Before coming, the Alter Rebbe, as a young avrech, deliberated whether to go to Vilna or Mezritch. He finally decided that since in Vilna they teach how to learn better, and in Mezritch they teach how to daven better, he would go to Mezritch because he already knew a little about how to learn, but how to daven properly he did not yet know.

After two weeks of examining and studying the Maggid of Mezritch's approach, he decided to stay and become his devoted chassid. From then until the Maggid's histalkus, for eight years, the Alter Rebbe would travel to the Maggid for extended periods.

The relationship between the Maggid and the Alter Rebbe was like that between a father and son. The Alter Rebbe would refer to the Maggid as "the Abba" or "the Rebbe." Among all his great disciples, the Maggid particularly cherished this talmid, whom he called "Zalmanyu" or "Litvak" (from Lithuania).

When the Alter Rebbe first arrived in Mezritch, the Maggid arranged for him to study Chassidus as a chavrusa with his son, Rabbi Avraham "the Malach." The Maggid said that the Alter Rebbe would teach R' Avraham nigleh (revealed Torah). The Alter Rebbe would always move the clock hands without R' Avraham seeing to extend their Chassidus study time.

Among other things, the Maggid instructed the Alter Rebbe to compile his Shulchan Aruch, with the reasons for the halachos and adding the opinions of the Acharonim.

When the Alter Rebbe was in prison, the Maggid came together with the Baal Shem Tov to visit him in his cell, and instructed him upon his release to continue spreading Toras Chassidus Chabad with even greater intensity.

It is related that on one Rosh Hashanah when the Alter Rebbe was with the Maggid, the Maggid noticed that the Alter Rebbe hadn't come to the tisch, and after waiting a long time sent several disciples to search for him. When the disciples reached the Maggid's synagogue from which the Alter Rebbe's voice could be heard, they entered and saw the Alter Rebbe rolling on the floor in [[Deveikut (Spiritual Attachment)|dveikus]], holding two table legs he had torn off in his ecstasy while singing "And let every creature know that You created it... And let every being know that You formed it... And let everything that has a soul in its nostrils know that Hashem, G-d of Israel, is King and His kingdom rules over all..." The disciples returned to the Maggid and related what they saw, and the Maggid responded, "R' Zalmania has reached such an elevated level that he can instill in inanimate objects the ability to contemplate and recognize that Hashem created them..."