Traveling to the Rebbe

R’ Hilel Paritcher was one of the renowned Chassidim of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek (having not actually met the Alter Rebbe, despite his best efforts (as is known the story thereof). The Tzemach Tzedek once said that he has two and a half Chassidim, with R’ Hillel being counted as a half because he is half a Rebbe. The following is a story about R’ Hillel:

Once, in the middle of the week, R’ Hillel was suddenly overcome with a yearning to visit the Rebbe in Lubavitch for Shabbos. Now, the trip from Paritch to Lubavitch was a considerable one, and all of the wagon drivers that he approached to transport him there declined, on the grounds that he had decided to late in the week for this to be a viable option.

One of the wagon-drivers in town was a devoted disciple of R’ Hillel, who was prepared to do anything for the sake of R’ Hillel, his Rebbe. Thus, when R’ Hillel approached him, he calculated the viability and decided that, if he exerted himself and exceeded all speed limits, and they were further accompanied by the great merit of the tzaddik R’ Hillel, then he was prepared to make the attempt with the hope of arriving in Lubavitch in time for Shabbos. However, in order for there to be even the smallest chance of success, it would be necessary – in addition to him driving at the greatest speed ever attempted – it would be crucial that they not encounter any additional avoidable obstacles or delays. Therefore, he stipulated with R’ Hillel that he was prepared to take him on condition that the Rebbe (R’ Hillel) would not get carried away and start davening b’arichus en route; - something that he knew was a very real danger with R’ Hillel, and would completely remove any possibility of their reaching their objective.

R’ Hillel agreed to the condition, and the pair set out. The driver urged his horses to breakneck speeds, and it looked like, with Hashem’s help, this amazing feat would be realized.

But then disaster struck.

During a brief “rest area”, while the baal agoloh was giving the horses a much needed (and deserved) break and snack, R’ Hillel got off and went into a clearing in the woods to daven. Sure enough, he became completely immersed in his davening, and lost track of anything and everything going on around him. While the baal agoloh stood aside in consternation, the possibilities of them arriving at their destination in time for Shabbos – or even get back home – dwindled and disappeared entirely.

The wagon-driver was upset about this for R’ Hillel’s sake more than for his own. When his Rebbe finally finished his davening, the baal agoloh expressed his astonishment. “Rebbe”, he exclaimed, “What have you done? It was you who was so eager to arrive in Lubavitch for Shabbos. Now on account of your davening – in defiance of our agreement – there is no longer a chance of our achieving this?!”

“Come now”, R’ Hillel answered him, “I will answer you with a story:

There was once a businessman named Yankel, who had a stock of iPods that he wanted to sell. Since the biggest market was in Leipzig (since he didn’t believe in internet, as a matter of principle, and thus couldn’t sell it through ebay), he loaded up a wagon with them, and set out on the two-day journey to Leipzig.

Shortly after he left town, he met his friend Shmerel, traveling down the same road. “Yankel”, Shmerel exclaimed, “Where are you headed?” n

“I’m on the way to Leipzig, to sell my stock of iPods”. “Why that wonderful”, exclaimed Shmerel, “it’s just what I’m looking for. You see, I’m starting a business of selling iPods to the bochurim who had them confiscated by the hanholoh. I’ll give you the same price you would get for them in the market, and I’ll relieve you of the whole load”.

“Do you think for a minute”, asked R’ Hillel, “that Yankel would say ‘I’m sorry I can’t sell them to you because I’m on the way to Leipzig’? Of course not! He is going to Leipzig for a purpose, and if he could achieve those results on the way, why, surely he would grab the opportunity with both hands!

“The same is true in my case”, concluded R’ Hillel. I’m going to the Rebbe with a purpose, that I should be able to daven, so obviously if those results are achieved on the way, ‘az es advent zich’, I won’t throw away this opportunity because I had initially been heading to Lubavitch!”

[According to one version, I heard that the ending was that they did indeed arrive in Lubavitch in time for Shabbos].