The Kaliver Rebbe once heard that the Yismach Moshe of Ujhel zy”a was going to spend Shabbos in the city of Serentch. He told his shamash that he too wanted to spend Shabbos there. The shamash thought that the Rebbe would tell the wagon driver to prepare the horses to leave early Friday morning. However, the Rebbe did not seem to be preparing for any trip. As he did every Friday, he went over the Parshah with Shnayim Mikrah V’echad Targum, he then ate a bit in the early afternoon and went to take a nap.
Shortly before the time for Hadlakas Neiros, he asked for the carriage to be prepared for the trip. The wagon driver asked in amazement, “Rebbe, it takes several hours to get from Kaliv to Strenetch. Isn’t it too late to travel?”
However, he obeyed the tzadik and they started to travel. They literally experienced kefitzas haderech and, within a very short time, they reached their destination. When they arrived in town, the Yismach Moshe and his chasidim had already started going to the bais knesses. The Kaliver Rebbe ordered the shamash and wagon driver to put the horses in a barn and to put on their Shabbos clothes right away. They then walked to the bais knesses. On the way in, the two tzadikim met and greeted each other with much joy.
As they entered the shul, the Yismach Moshe told the Kaliver Rebbe to go in first. However, the Kaliver Rebbe said, “I only came in your honor. You must go first.”
He added, “In any case, if you are bigger than me, you must go in first. If I am bigger than you, I order you to go in first.” So, the Yismach Moshe entered first.
When he gave his drasha, the Yismach Moshe spoke emotionally about the destruction of the Bais Medrash and about why Moshiach had yet to arrive. The Kaliver Rebbe said to him, “Ujhel Rov, you sigh and sigh about Moshiach, and we let you continue to sigh. If only we would also sigh, he would be here already.”
