In the city of Strya lived a large group of followers of the Seer of Lublin. Yet, the city's Rabbi, the author of Ketzot HaChoshen, was among the opponents of Chasidism. On one occasion, the Rabbi forbade them from doing something, but the Chasidim didn’t listen. He placed them under a 30 day excommunication. The Chasidim traveled to their Rebbe, the Seer of Lublin.
When they arrived, the Seer instructed the gabbai to admit them only after about two and a half weeks — which turned out to be the day their excommunication ended.
When they finally entered the Rebbe said: "G-d said: 'Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?' Why the repetition? The explanation is that there is a righteous person who is considered 'My servant' — one who is always cleaving to G-d; and there is a Rabbi and halachic authority who is like 'Moses,' who 'received the Torah from Sinai.' Says G-d: Even if the Rabbi is only a 'Moses' and not 'My servant,' you must still fear him. So why then were you not afraid of the town's Rabbi, the mara d’atra [local halachic authority]?!"
