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TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohn, Executive Director, Baal
Shem Tov Foundation
PASSOVER
"Pharaoh commanded to all his people saying, 'Every son that
will be born — into the river shall you throw him!'
…"
Exodus 1:22
HIS WIFE WAS
RIGHT
And then there was the time, when there was worry in the holy
community of Mezibush, the home of the holy Rabbi Yisrael ben
Eliezer (known as the Baal Shem Tov). It was the Passover of
1756, and as on all Jewish holidays, many of his
followers came to Mezibush to spend Passover with their
Rebbe.
It was always an uplifting, almost magical experience to be in
the presence of the Baal Shem Tov, especially at the time of a
Jewish holiday.
On this Passover, the followers were upset because they could
sense that something was terribly wrong with the Baal Shem
Tov. He was not in his usual buoyant spirits.
After the search for chometz on the night before the Passover
Seder, the Baal Shem Tov told ten of his closest disciples to say
Tikkun Chatzos (a midnight prayer to commemorate the
destruction of the Temple) with great concentration. While
saying this prayer, Reb Tzvi (the scribe of the Baal Shem Tov)
came running and yelled, "Lord of the Universe, the Rebbe
fainted and fell onto the floor of his study." Everyone was
upset, but no one would dare go into the study and disturb the
Rebbe.
The next morning before the Passover Seder, the Baal Shem
Tov prayed the
morning prayers in a despondent mood. When he finished his
prayers, he expounded about 'Trust in G-d'. He explained, "True
and complete faith in G-d can only occur when a person can't
see any way to overcome their problem. And at that very
moment, the person believes without a doubt that G-d will save
them from their problem. And most importantly, the person
shows this trust and faith in G-d by being b'simchah (having a
joyful attitude). Being b'simchah shows that the person has no
doubt that they will soon, with G-d's help, overcome their
problem."
As soon as the Baal Shem Tov finished this discourse, his mood
noticeably changed. He seemed more at ease. The followers
whispered among themselves, "The change in the Rebbe's
mood is not because of a change in the spiritual decree about
which he is no doubt concerned. No," everyone agreed, "the
change in the Rebbe will change the Heavenly decree, G-d help
us."
In the afternoon of that same day, when the time came to bake
the matzos (matzos made just before the Seder are considered
the most precious), the Baal Shem Tov went to the mikveh
(ritual bath) and then to bake the matzos. His mood had
improved even more and he actually seemed to be happy. That
night, in the synagogue of the Baal Shem Tov, the special
evening prayers for Passover were chanted with great
enthusiasm.
After the prayers, his close disciples were invited to the Seder
of the Baal Shem Tov. The disciples sat around the Seder table
eagerly awaiting to hear the Rebbe's insights on the Haggadah.
But this Passover night was different because the Baal Shem
Tov did not expound on the deep mystical meanings of the
Haggadah. Instead, he just quietly read the text. The disciples
were disappointed.
Near the end of the Seder, the Baal Shem Tov closed his eyes.
The disciples looked at each other, "Is he in a state of deep
meditation or did he 'almost' fall asleep." The room was silent.
Suddenly, the Baal Shem Tov started laughing so hard that he
could barely sit still in his chair.
"Mazel Tov!" he exclaimed, "Thanks to G-d who has chosen the
Torah, Moses our teacher and Israel. You should know that
even the simplest Jew has the power to change a Heavenly
edict."
The disciples sat speechless as he began to explain, "Yesterday
morning, a terrible edict was decreed in Heaven against the
Jews of a nearby village. The non-Jewish peasants in that
village were planning to attack the Jews on the first night of
the Passover."
"I prayed with all my strength, and I even had you help me.
But we couldn't overcome the Heavenly decree. I finally gave
up and put my trust in G-d that the decree would be rescinded.
Right then I started to feel joyful. When we sat down to the
Seder, the hour for the execution of the decree had arrived. I
didn't see any hope for those Jews living in that village. But in
a single instant, thank G-d, everything changed."
"During this time, a childless couple that are among my
followers and lived in the village where the decree was to be
executed, were sitting at their Seder Table. Although they were
simple, unlearned Jews, they were exceptionally kind, devout
and full of good deeds. When they reached the section of the
Haggadah about the Egyptians throwing the new born baby
boys into the Nile, the wife started to cry. Her husband tried to
comfort her, "My sweet wife, don't be sad, after all the Jewish
people were finally taken out of Egypt."
The wife spoke back, "If G-d had blessed me with a son, I
would have protected him and not let anyone hurt him. And I
certainly would not have let anyone treat my son the way G-d
let us be treated by the Egyptians."
The husband stood up for G-d saying, "G-d is righteous in all
that He does, it's only that we can't see or understand why it is
good for us."
But the wife answered back, "Why isn't G-d more
compassionate? How could He have treated us like that? Even
if we do sin, we are still His children."
And so the argument went back and forth as they worked their
way through the Haggadah. The Baal Shem Tov continued,
"During this time, the case against the Jews of their village was
being argued before the Heavenly Court. The defending angels
were more persuasive when the wife presented her arguments
and the accusing angels were more persuasive when the
husband presented his rebuttals. I really couldn't tell what the
outcome would be."
"Finally, after completing the fourth cup of wine near the end of
the Seder, the husband couldn't think of another answer to his
wife's arguments against G-d's behavior. So he conceded, 'My
wife, you're right. G-d should have treated his children better.'
They started to laugh, got up and began to dance around the
Seder table. And at that very moment, the decree in Heaven
against the Jews of their village was annulled," the Baal Shem
Tov concluded.
The disciples were mesmerized with the story. Then, the Baal
Shem Tov told them to place their hands on the shoulders of
the person sitting on either side. When the Baal Shem Tov
placed his hands on the shoulders of the person sitting on
either side, the disciples all saw a vision of the husband and
wife dancing together around their Seder table celebrating the
liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt. The Baal Shem Tov
said with a little chuckle, "They should only know that they are
also celebrating the liberation of the Jewish people of their own
village."
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent
Attorney) from a story found in SEEKER OF SLUMBERING
SOULS.
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selections from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
The Classic Anthology of the Baal Shem Tov's Teachings
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PASSOVER
And it was, when Pharaoh let the people go, that G d did
not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, for it was
near; for G d said: perhaps the people will lose heart when
they see war, and return to Egypt. But G d led the people
indirectly, by the way of the wilderness by the Red
Sea…" (Exodus 13:17-18)
When the masculine [letters] of the Tetragrammaton come
first, the forces of Loving-kindness prevail; if not, forgetfulness
rules, which is called "Pharaoh." For a human being is a
microcosm, and has within him Pharaoh and Egypt. The verse,
then, is teaching us the path of repentance; that it should be
level after level - "indirectly" - and not all at once. For were
that so, a person would be completely annihilated. Thus it is
written: "And it was, when Pharaoh let the people go" - these
are the limbs of the body that were enslaved to Pharaoh til
now. But now, he lets the people - the limbs - go out to
freedom. "But G d did not lead them by way of the land of the
Philistines" - for there is a [spiritual] concept called "way." This
is the [holy] Names S'ag and Ekiyeh Ka'sa,
which have the numerical value of derech ("way"). Even the
wicked draw sustenance from there, for it is unblemished by
human sin, as it says: "If you sinned, what did you do against
Him?" (Job 35:6). For this reason, repentance helps, for the
damage of sin does not reach there. [For instance,] a person
who commits adultery arouses in the [upper] world the aspect
of love. Only in the world below do his sins have a bad effect.
But when he repents, his deeds have a positive effect, and he
repairs everything, for he uplifts the [lower] levels to Binah,
which is Ekiyeh.
Thus, the verse says: "G d did not lead them by way of the
land of the Philistines." For from this "way," the Land of the
Philistine, the impure shells, also derive nourishment. G d did
not lead them that way, "for it was near" - that is, it was near
to forgetfulness, which is called Pharaoh, lest they see this
aspect, which is called "way," as we explained above…
For as soon as they realize this, they come close to returning
to Pharaoh, who is forgetfulness. Therefore, "God led the
people indirectly…" Kesser Shem Tov 110
Then G d said to Moses: 'Behold, I will make bread rain
down to you from heaven; and the people will go out and
gather enough for each day… (Ibid. 16:4)
A poor person has the privilege of speaking to the Holy One
every day. A rich person, however, receives all his sustenance
from G d at once, and doesn't need to ask Him for his daily
requirements - not unless he is very righteous, and realizes
that everything he owns is worthless, without G d giving it life-
force to sustain him. The proof is that a sick person has all the
food he needs, but still cannot sustain himself.
A poor person, with nothing to eat, must beseech G d each day.
Thus, he merits speaking to Him every day. Furthermore, G d
must also remember the poor person daily, to arrange his
livelihood. However, G d does not need to remember a rich
person each day, for He already gave him everything at one
time. Rav Yebi, Tehilim
Translation and commentary by Rabbi Eliezer Shore.
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THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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1.1 When you speak, think about "allusion, voice and speech."
Speak with fear and love, and imagine that the World of
Speech is speaking through your mouth. Then you will elevate
the words. Kesser Shem Tov II, p. 4b.
Translation and commentary by Rabbi Dr. Menachem Kallus.
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THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
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The main work of Tzaddikim throughout the generations, such
as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his companions, Rabbi Yitzchok
Luria, and the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, was to bind the
souls of the Jewish people to their [spiritual] roots, and to
remove the partitions and physical desires that separate them
[from G-d], so that their souls become bound to their roots,
until it becomes impossible to separate them from there. So,
too, that they should fear G-d, even in private, and not
transgress even the slightest decree of the Rabbis.
[The Tzaddikim] bind their souls to G-d by stripping themselves
of their physicality and completely transcending their
corporeality. They bind their souls to the light of the Infinite,
and by means of this, lift up the souls of the Jewish people with
them and bind them to their root.
However, as the Baal Shem Tov said, even when they attach
their own souls to their supernal root, they must be careful not
to nullify their existence, so that they are able to return to
physicality. They should remain attached [to G-d] in such a way
that even when they are busy with physical activities, their
thoughts are not separate from the Creator. And even when
they are involved in the material world, their intention is to
serve G-d. This is serving G-d in the aspect of "Smallness," as
is known. Ma'or VaShemesh, Pinchas
Translation and commentary by Rabbi Eliezer Shore.
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KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
from Rabbi Yaakov Yoseph of Polonnoye
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Keser Shem Tov is an anthology of the teachings of the Baal
Shem Tov that were collected from the works of Rabbi Yaakov
Yoseph of Polonnoye and edited by Aaron ben Tzvi HaKohen of
Opatov. It was first printed in two volumes in Zolkiev in 1794.
The following is a translation of the Shaar Blot (cover page) of
the Keser Shem Tov.
Shaar Blat
Keser Shem Tov
The Crown of the Good Name
And these are the holy words of the holy and awesome Rav,
our teacher, the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory for
everlasting life in the world to come. These words "which were
brought into the house of Yoseph" (books of R. Yaakov Yoseph
of Polonoye) were found in the holy books of his student - the
Rav, the great Goan, the Chossid, our teacher, Rabbi Yaakov
Yosef of Polonoye, of blessed memory for everlasting life in the
world to come, the head of the court of the Holy Community of
Polonoye. The holy books [from where these teachings were
collected] are the sefer Ben Poras Yosef, the sefer Toldos
Yaakov Yosef and the sefer Tnafnas Panach.
And behold, the one who collected [these teachings] is the
young man Aaron, the son of my teacher and Rav, Tzvi Hirsch
HaCohane from the holy community of Apta. I [Reb Aaron]
collected all the holy words of the Baal Shem Tov from the
seforim (books) mentioned above and also from other short
and lengthy discourses of the Rav, the Goan, Rabbi Yaakov
Yoseph (of blessed memory for everlasting life in the world to
come). Other teachings of R. Yaakov Yoseph (not related to the
Baal Shem Tov) were left out of this Holy book. I only put in
this Holy Book what relates to the holy words of the Baal Shem
Tov. The whole world is full of the honor and the glory of his
(the Baal Shem Tov's) kingdom and the beauty of his
greatness. And the world is illuminated from his wisdom. Also,
I collected the words of the Baal Shem Tov from other books of
collected sayings and treasures that were printed. Note that in
this book I did not write any explanation of the teachings of the
holy Baal Shem Tov. They are written, however, in books that
are found by me called — the Sefer
Sanctify Shabbos
on the Tractate of Shabbos, the Sefer
Secrets of Shabbos
on
Mesechta Eruvin and the Sefer
Magen Avos.
Translation and commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett.
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