Strong Prayer
Yet another time it happened that some boorish and unlearned extremists learned that Reb Levi Yitzchak was away from home. Taking advantage, these hoodlums seized his wife and children and placed them on a garbage cart and drove them out of town.
When the chassidim learned what happened, they were furious. They debated what to do and finally decided to go to the town of Zhitomir to complain to the great Rabbi Zev (author of Or Hameir). They drove all night and finally reached the town in the morning.
The rav had not yet davened but listened in amazement as the chassidim angrily told him what happened.
“I see why you have come,” said Rav Zev, “but allow me first to finish davening and then come back to me.”
The chassidim were sure that Rav Zev would ask the Almighty in his prayer to punish the perpetrators of the foul deed and they waited anxiously for him to finish.
Finally, he came from his room and said to them, “My children, what can I do? I sincerely began to ask G-d to punish these people but apparently Reb Levi Yitzchak’s prayer arrived first and was stronger. He asked G-d to forgive them.”