Yahrtzeit of the Divrei Chaim (Nisan 25)

The Rebbe related the following story in relation to the yahrtzeit of the Divrei Chaim (25th of Nisan):

View of the Dnieper River from Cherkass

A particular chasid came from Cherkass to be with the Rebbe Reb Motele for Pesach. After Yom Tov, he asked if the Rebbe might have something for him to bring to "the Zeide" (Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel of Cherkass, Reb Motele's grandfather).

Reb Motele responded, “My foot is in pain, my daughter isn't well and you should mention Chaim ben Miriam.”

The chasid took the boat down the Dnieper River and upon arriving in Cherkass immediately relayed the message to the Cherkasser. The Rebbe became all fahrmoached, lost in thought. Finally, he said, "My grandson's leg will get better and his daughter will be fine.”

The Zeide opened his eyes and saw the chasid still standing there. 

“Vos vilst di? (What do you want?)” he asked.

So the chasid said again the entire message from Reb Motele emphasizing “and Chaim ben Miriam should have a refua shlaima.”

Again, the Cherkasser closed his eyes for a while and repeated what he had already said, neglecting to mention anything about Chaim ben Miriam.

Not having received a complete response, the chasid remained in the Rebbe's room. And again the Rebbe asked him, "Vos vilst di?"

The story repeated itself for a third time. The chasid decided he had to do something so he mustered as much chutzpah as he could and said, “Nu? Vos iz mit Chaim ben Miriam?”

The Rebbe said, "Vos vilst di? Zol ich tzirik lebedig machen? (What do you want? Shall I make him live again?"

Kever of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz

Not long thereafter, Reb Motele himself came to Cherkass. He was sitting in a wagon when he spotted the chasid in the crowd of the people who came to greet him at the port.  Reb Motele called the chasid to come sit with him in the coach. "Nu? Did you tell the Zeide?"

The chasid replied in the affirmative.

"Nu!?"

And he told Reb Motele what the Cherkasser had said.

"And what about Chaim ben Miriam?"

The chasid mustered the courage to barely mutter the Cherkasser's response.

Reb Motele fell on the floor of the wagon and cried, “Oy! Der shver is avek!!! (My father-in-law has passed away!)"

The Rebbe concluded, "And that is how the Rebbe Reb Motele found out that the Divrei Chaim had passed away. In an era long before satellite and wireless technology, there were tzadikim who knew what transpires thousands of miles away."