I heard this from the Rebbe’s own lips when he revealed the lesson speaking of the importance of telling stories about tzaddikim, which appears in Likutey Moharan I, 234.
“All the great tzaddikim used to visit the home of my holy parents. We lived in Medzeboz, which was also the home of the Baal Shem Tov. Many would come to visit the Baal Shem Tov’s grave and they would mostly stay at my father’s house. “It was from them that I heard many stories of tzaddikim, and this moved me toward God.” It was primarily through this that the Rebbe was stirred to attain the great things that he did.214This is quoted in Rabbi Shimon Menachem Mendel of Gavartznav's Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Me'irat Eynayim #46.
שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ, בְּעֵת שֶׁדִּבֵּר עִמָּנוּ מִגֹּדֶל הָעִנְיָן שֶׁל סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁנִּדְפַּס בִּסְפָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (בְּסִימָן רל"ד חֵלֶק א'). וְאָמַר אָז שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ ז"ל:
I heard this from the Rebbe’s own lips when he revealed the lesson speaking of the importance of telling stories about tzaddikim, which appears in Likutey Moharan I, 234.
עִקַּר הִתְעוֹרְרוּתוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת הָיָה עַל־יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים.
The Rebbe said, “I myself was greatly motivated to serve God through stories of tzaddikim.
וְסִפֵּר שֶׁבְּבֵית אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ הַצַּדִּיקִים ז"ל, הָיוּ שְׁכִיחִים שָׁם כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים. כִּי כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָיוּ מְצוּיִים בִּקְהִלַּת מֶעזְ'בּוּז' מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב ז"ל. וְרֻבָּם כְּכֻלָּם הִתְאַכְסְנוּ בְּבֵית אָבִיו ז"ל, וְשָׁמַע הַרְבֵּה מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הָיָה עִקַּר הִתְעוֹרְרוּתוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַד שֶׁזָּכָה לְמַה שֶּׁזָּכָה:
“All the great tzaddikim used to visit the home of my holy parents. We lived in Medzeboz, which was also the home of the Baal Shem Tov. Many would come to visit the Baal Shem Tov’s grave and they would mostly stay at my father’s house. “It was from them that I heard many stories of tzaddikim, and this moved me toward God.” It was primarily through this that the Rebbe was stirred to attain the great things that he did.214This is quoted in Rabbi Shimon Menachem Mendel of Gavartznav's Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Me'irat Eynayim #46.