Reb Yechezkel Abramsky would repeat in the name of Reb Isser Zalman Meltzer that in the year 5685, the Chofetz Chaim finished finalizing the details of his aliyah — leaving to Eretz Yisrael. All his life he’d dreamed of living there, especially that he opined that according to many Rishonim, doing so is a mitzva that remains in effect till this very day. The Shabbos morning before he departed, he informed everyone that he would no longer be serving as their Rav, and that they would have to find someone else.
When he finished the drashah, one of the baalebatim approached him and asked, “Why didn’t you say ‘im yirzeh Hashem’?”
Motzaei Shabbos, the Chofetz Chaim’s Rebbetzin suddenly fell ill, and they couldn’t travel.
Reb Yechezkel would add that such a punishment probably suits only the Chofetz Chaim, based on his dargah, but we surely can learn a lesson from it, nonetheless. (Melech B’yofyoh p. 613)
