The Mysterious Elder of the Sunrise Minyan

When the Yenuka spoke about souls from the upper worlds that occasionally reveal themselves in this world, he related the following story:

As a child, he would regularly attend a small synagogue in his neighborhood for the sunrise (netz) prayer. One day he noticed an elderly man with a radiant face carrying baskets filled with fruits, vegetables, and other food items. Every few minutes the man would stop to rest from the burden he was carrying.

The young Yenuka approached him, greeted him, and offered to help carry the baskets. The old man smiled and said, “My name is Yeshaya. I live nearby, and I would be happy for your help.”

The two walked together and spoke until they arrived at the man's home. The elderly man told him that he had been named Yeshaya after Rabbi Yeshaya of Kerestir, because he himself had been born through that tzaddik's blessing.

After arriving at the house, the Yenuka put down the baskets and accompanied him back to the synagogue. This happened many times. The Yenuka would help him carry his loads, and the old man would speak with him about various matters.

Then one day, when the Yenuka came for the netz prayer, he searched for the old man again and again but could not find him. He asked the worshippers where "Rabbi Yeshaya" was, but nobody knew of any elderly man by that name. No matter how he described him, everyone insisted that no such person lived in the neighborhood.

Finally, he approached the synagogue caretaker and asked about him. After the Yenuka described the man in precise detail, the caretaker stood there astonished and said:

"I do remember someone like that who used to come to this synagogue when I myself was a child. But he passed away forty years ago. So how could it be that you saw him?"