Editing Rabbi Aharon Rokeach of Belz (section)

== His Connections with the Rebbe ==

==== His Meetings with the Rebbe ====
When the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka lived in Berlin, one day it became known that Rabbi Aharon had arrived in Berlin and many people were going to greet him. The Rebbe, who was then a young avrech, wanted to meet him and asked his friend, a Ger chassid who lived in Berlin named R' Itche Meir Furstenberg, to accompany him. However, he made a condition that he should not reveal his identity (as was his way during that time, conducting himself modestly and privately). However, upon arriving there, they encountered Rav Chaim Schneerson from Chevron who was traveling as a shadar from Eretz Hakodesh. When the Rebbe noticed R' Chaim, he also asked him not to reveal his identity to anyone, and R' Chaim promised him this.

At the Admor's lodging, there was a long line of Jews waiting to give "sholom". He gave "sholom" with his hand wrapped in a towel, and his head bowed downward. When the Rebbe approached and extended his hand in greeting, he raised his holy eyes, removed the towel from his hand, and grasped the Rebbe's hand. The holy Rabbi Aharon held the hand for an extended time and asked: "Ver iz der yungerman?" ["Who is this young man?"]. "A giveynlicher yungerman" [="A simple young man"], the Rebbe answered. The Belzer Rebbe responded and said: "A vareme hentaleh. Yungerman, fun undz behalt men zich nit" [="A warm hand. Young man, from us one cannot hide"].

When R' Chaim Schneerson revealed to the Belzer Admor that the young man was the son-in-law of Admor HaRayatz, the tzaddik said: "Yo yo, ich ze ich ze. Ich hob gefilt az dos iz an eidele hant" [="Yes yes, I see I see, I felt that this is a pure hand"]. The Belzer Rebbe continued holding the Rebbe's hand and spoke with him this way for about ten minutes.

Rav Yechezkel Besser related that when he told R' Itche Meir that he had a yechidus with the Rebbe, he asked him to mention him to the Rebbe. When he spoke with the Rebbe and conveyed regards from Itche Meir Furstenberg, the Rebbe said in surprise: "Oh, Furstenberg, is he still so sharp?!.. I appreciate the regards, give him warm regards in my name, he after all took me to the Belzer Rebbe!"

A similar story happened again at a different time and in a different city. Rav Elchanan Halperin, president of the United Orthodox Communities in London, told Rabbi Sholom Dov Ber Wolpo about a story that Rav Elimelech Rimpler from Vienna (who later lived in London) told him, an event that occurred in his presence. When the Belzer Admor came to Vienna for eye treatment, as he left his house on his way to the doctor, two young men came before him to receive his blessing of peace. To the first one (who was the Rashag) he returned his blessing as was his way and custom three times, and to the second he held his hand for about fifteen minutes, and was in great deveikus. Rav Rimpler himself was present at the time along with other chassidim, and he said that those who were there were amazed, as they had never seen such conduct from their Rebbe. And everyone spoke then that the Belzer Admor felt that this was a pure and holy hand. And this young man was the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

==== "Playing with Fire" ====
In the early years of his leadership, the Rebbe sent a general letter to several Admurim to encourage them about making a farbrengen in honor of Yud Tes Kislev, the Chag HaGeulah of the Alter Rebbe, or to conduct a farbrengen themselves. Among the Admurim, the Rebbe sent a letter to the Belzer Rebbe. After the Belzer Rebbe's secretary read the letter, he said: "This young Rebbe is starting to give instructions to the great tzaddikim of the generation." When the Belzer Rebbe heard this, he told the secretary: "You are playing with fire. Go quickly, wash your hands and say three times 'I regret it, I regret it, I regret it.'"