דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו (בשלח יד:טו)

The Rav of the city of Pezing converted a non-Jew. After the Bris, the convert became sick and was in great pain. They couldn’t summon a doctor since, according to the law, it was forbidden to convert someone without special permission from the government.  In this situation, the Rav didn’t have permission. Therefore, it was dangerous for the Rav to approach a doctor, lest the government find out about the illegal circumcision.

The Yidden were terrified that the convert would die, as then they would all be in grave danger.  The Rav of Pezing traveled to the city of Pressburg and shared his predicament with the holy Chasam Sofer zt’’l.  The Chasam Sofer said that the only solution was for the Rav and the Ger to take a wagon, travel to the Danube River (a river that runs through many countries in Central and Eastern Europe), and throw themselves into the water, where they shall perish to save the Jewish community in their city.

The Rav listened to the advice of the Chasam Sofer and headed out to the river with the Ger Tzedek.  On the way, they saw a Yid who stood to the side of the road, and when they stopped the wagon, he begged them to tell him where they were heading to.  They shared the terrible happenings and said they were ready to sacrifice their lives to spare the Yidden from a calamity.

The elderly Yid told them that it wasn’t necessary to take such drastic measures. He said to them that as a mohel, he has a special cream that heals this sickness.  The Yid gave them from the cream, and the Ger quickly recovered.  They wanted to offer their savior a ride into town, but he disappeared.  They understood that he must have been Eliyahu Hanavi.

They returned to the Chasam Sofer, and the Rav asked, “Why did the Rebbe tell us to sacrifice ourselves by jumping into the river for Eliyahu Hanavi to appear? The Rebbe could have sent Eliyahu Hanavi to the Ger’s home?”.

The Chasam Sofer jumped up and exclaimed, “Without מסירת נפש – self-sacrifice – do you expect Eliyahu Hanavi to come? It’s impossible!  Only after witnessing your self-sacrifice for Kiddush Hashem was Eliyahu Hanavi able to come.”

With the above story, we can better understand what Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu:

“מה תצעק אלי“ – yelling alone, without Mesiras Nefesh, cannot yet bring salvation.

“דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו“ – When the Yidden jump into the sea with Mesiras Nefesh, they can be helped.