Sefer Rishum B’Shmecha (page 101) relates the following story in the name of Rav Shlomo Unger zt”l, Rov of Chug Chasam Sofer in Bnei Brak. Rav Unger said that he heard the story from Rav Moshe Avraham Sofer zt”l of Tcharna, the son of Rav Eliezer Zusman Sofer zt”l, Rov of Paks. The story is about how Rav Eliezer Zusman’s shidduch came about:
In his younger years, Rav Eliezer Zusman learned in the yeshiva of the Chasam Sofer zy”a. He subsequently learned under the Kesav Sofer zy”a, who was his primary Rebbi. When the time came for him to find a shidduch, The Kesav Sofer called him over and asked: “You are old enough to get married. Why aren’t you looking for a shidduch?”
Rav Zusman replied: “Rebbi, I am a poor orphan. How can I find a shidduch when I don’t have a penny to my name?”
The Kesav Sofer asked, “Do you think that a shidduch can only be found in Pressburg?”
Rav Zusman said, “Rebbi, I don’t have any money to travel anywhere.”
The Kesav Sofer said, “I also have no money.” He began rummaging through his pockets and showed Rav Zusman that all he found was 97 groschen, which was a miniscule amount. He gave it to Rav Zusman and told him, “Here is so money for your trip.”
Rabbi Zusman had full faith in his Rebbi, so he set out for the train station and wondered where he could go with such a sum of money. So deeply was emunas chochomim ingrained in Rabbi Zusman’s heart that he did not even worry about saving some money for the return trip. He trusted in Hashem that he would undoubtedly find a match there, and he would have money to return.
He was told that he would not get far with such a small sum of money. He could only travel to certain towns near Pressburg.
Rav Zusman thought to himself: The people who live in the vicinity of Pressburg also know that I am a poor orphan and they will not want to do a shidduch with me. So, I will use the money I have to go and set sail on a cargo ship and get to somewhere further away. With that thought, he went to the Danube River and asked, “How far can I sail with the money I have?”
They told him that he could get to such-and-such village, but he also learned that not a single Jew lived there. Still and all, Rav Zusman strengthened his bitachon that Hashem would guide him and he sailed to that village.
When the ship reached that village, he disembarked and walked slowly along the banks of the river, trusting Hashem to guide his way. Suddenly, he saw an old Jew standing before him. The Jew turned to him in surprise and asked, “What are you doing here?”
Rav Zusman was excited to see another Jew and he answered with the same question, “And what are you doing here?”
The old man said to him: “It is not polite for you to answer me with a question, when I asked you first. Moreover, I am older than you, so you should answer me first.”
Rav Zusman told him everything that had recently occurred to him and explained that he had come to see what Hashem had in store for him. The old man then smacked him on the back and said, “You are mine!”
This old man was Rav Yoel Unger zt”l, author of Shu”t Riva. He told Rav Zusman, “Last night, the Chasam Sofer appeared to me in a dream. He told me that it was time to find a shidduch for my daughter and that I would find her groom in this village. I immediately traveled here and found you!”
