The House Of Brisk Became Chassidishe When It Came To The Shineveh Rebbe

Drawing of the Shineveh Rebbe, from a visit to Yerushalayim in 1869.

From Revach.net

One time when a number of Sanzer Chassidim came to visit the Brisker Rov, he told them that he was a Shineveh Chosid. (The Shineveh Rebbe, Rav Yechezkel Halberstam, was the son of the Divrei Chaim the founder of the Sanzer dynasty Rav Chaim Halberstam.) They all looked at him in shock. The Brisker Rov the leader of Lithuanian Jewry a Chosid?!?

The Brisker Rov them told them that when the Shineveh Rebbe came to Brisk, the people of Brisk came out to greet him carrying torches in his honor. His grandfather the Bais HaLevi was among them. The Brisker Rov said I know with certainty that absolutely nothing impressed my grandfather except for Torah and Yiras Shamayim. If he went to greet the Shineveh Rebbe it was because apparently he was head and shoulders above everyone else in those areas. Therefore I am a Shineveh Chosid!

One time when the Shineveh came to visit the Bais HaLevi he was accompanied by many Chassidim. Before the entrance to the house he told his Chassidim that they should not accompany him into the house. The Bais Halevi is a Misnaged and is opposed to Chassidim. He does not approve of our ways and he may not appreciate all of you entering with me.

Apparently the Bais HaLevi was right near the door waiting to greet his guest and overheard the conversation. He turned to the Shineveh and said, "Sholom Aleichem and Boruch Haba." Then he smiled and said, "May the Rebbe of Shineveh enter and may his Chassidim enter with him. Consider yourselves to be in a house of Chassidim!"