The Delegation to the Kaiser

The Chasam Sofer decided that, because of the changes brought about by the Reform movement, Orthodox Jews in Hungary should form separate communities of their own. First, however, royal approval was needed. The rabbanim therefore sent a delegation of five of the most famous rabbanim and tzaddikim of Hungary to the Kaiser, Franz Josef. Among them were Rav Yehuda Assad, the famous author of Yehuda Ya'aleh, Rav Akiva Yosef, and his father-in-law, Rav Hillel of Kolomy.

Rav Akiva Yosef relates in his sefer Bris Olam that on the night before the meeting with the Kaiser, he was lodging with his father-in-law. In the middle of the night Rav Hillel woke him and asked, "Are you asleep?" Rav Akiva Yosef said that he was awake. "Do you see anything?" Rav Hillel asked. "No," came the answer. After a while Rav Hillel asked again, "Do you see anything?" Again Rav Akiva Yosef said, "No, I don't see anything." Rav Hillel woke him a third time with the same question, and received the same reply. This time he explained, "I just saw the Chasam Sofer in a dream, and he told me, 'You have davened well. Go to the Kaiser, and your mission will be successful.'"

The next morning the whole delegation went to the Kaiser's palace. They found all the gates open, with no guard or anyone else to stop them or ask questions, and they walked right onto the palace grounds. The Kaiser was taking his morning stroll, wearing a simple house robe. When he saw them, he exclaimed, "Five angels."

The members of the delegation had removed their hats, as is customary before a king. Rav Assad approached and said, "If His Majesty will allow it, I would like to put on my hat so that I can recite the berachah we say when we see a king." The Kaiser graciously answered, "Of course, but please wait a minute." He went into the palace and put on his crown, and only then did Rav Assad and the others recite the berachah, "Who has imparted of His honor to flesh and blood."

The Kaiser then asked the purpose of their visit. The rabbanim had planned that one of them, a talmid of the Chasam Sofer, would present their request, but now he found himself unable to open his mouth. The Kaiser understood that the young man was overcome with awe and could not speak. He said, "Instead of speaking, put your request in writing, and whatever you wish, I will grant."

They wrote their request at once: that the Kaiser give them the recognition they needed to function as a separate community with legal authority. The Kaiser took the paper and, without even reading it, folded it. This was the royal sign that the request had been granted.

As the Kaiser was about to take leave of his five guests, he asked for a blessing from Rav Assad, who appeared to him as handsome as an angel. Rav Assad blessed him with long life and a long and successful reign. It is known that the blessing was fulfilled, for the Kaiser was still reigning at the age of eighty-four.

When they left the Kaiser, they met the palace director, who was astonished to find that five strangers had entered the palace without any hindrance. "How did you enter without permission?" he asked. They answered, "No, we are not entering. We are leaving." He was so astonished at this that he simply walked away.