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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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Seventh Day Of
Pesach
In the Torah portion (Exodus 13:17 to15:26), we read
that following the departure of the Jewish people from Egypt,
Pharaoh regretted his decision to allow them to leave, and
pursued them to the Reed Sea. There, Moshe raised his staff
and the Sea split and the Children of Israel crossed over the
sea. Once all of the Children of Israel had crossed, Moshe again
stretched out his staff and the water returned to its former
state, drowning the pursuing Egyptians. When the Children of
Israel saw the dead Egyptians on the sea shore…
"The people … believed in G-d and Moses His servant."
Exodus 14:31
* * *
Perfect Faith
And then there was the time that Rabbi David Leikes, a
member of the Baal Shem Tov's innermost circle, was sitting
with a group of Chassidim who were followers of Rabbi Mottel
of Chernobyl (otherwise known as the Chernobyler Rebbe).
Rabbi David asked the Chassidim, "Tell me, do you have
perfect faith in your Rebbe, Rabbi Mottel." The Chassidim didn't
answer. After a pause Rabbi David asked, "So nu?"
One of the Chassidim answered, "Who can say they have
perfect faith?"
Rabbi David nodded and then said, "My friends, let me tell you
a story about faith. Once, several close followers of the Baal
Shem Tov and I spent a Sabbath at an inn with our Holy Rebbe
Baal
Shem Tov. As usual, the third meal of the Sabbath went late
into the night. The Baal Shem Tov told us some of the mystical
insights he had received while meditating, praying, and
studying Torah during the holy Sabbath. Later, when the Baal
Shem Tov gave a sign, we joined in the blessings over the
food, the evening prayers, and the Havdalah service (a prayer
separating the holy days from the profane days).
"Immediately afterwards," Rabbi David continued, "we sat
down together with the Baal Shem Tov for a Melava Malkah [a
meal escorting the spiritual Sabbath Queen as she leaves]."
"The Baal Shem Tov turned to me and said, 'Rabbi David, reach
into your pocket and take out a gulden (coin) to buy some
mead from the Inn Keeper.'
"I was still wearing my Sabbath clothes, and I never carry
money on the Sabbath. Yet, with neither a thought nor
hesitation, I reached into my pocket to 'take out the gulden,' as
the Rebbe had just instructed. And — the most amazing
thing! I found a gulden in my pocket."
The Chassidim of Rabbi Mottel, after hearing this story
commented to Rabbi David, "It's really not that amazing. It's
just another miracle story about the Baal Shem Tov."
"Yes. That is so," said Rabbi David. "But the point of the story
is much deeper than 'just another miracle story.' My faith in the
Baal Shem Tov was so great that I didn't even think to question
his request when I reach into my pocket for the money."
And so it was.
This is the inner meaning of the Baal Shem Tov's teaching that
with simple belief and a joyful attitude to life's circumstances,
God's love will be evident in our everyday life.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard M. Cohn, Patent
Attorney) from a letter from the Rav of Medzibush as
translated in Stories of the Baal Shem Tov by Y.Y. Klapholtz
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selections from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
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Passover
The cause of the Egyptian exile was that they did not know
what they lacked,1 as is explained in the writings
of the Arizal; for in the Egyptian exile, [their] da'at left
them. Thus, the verse says about Moses (at the burning bush),
"And G-d saw that he turned to see" (Exodus 3:4).
Thus, they were in exile under the rule of Pharaoh, who is the
aspect of the neck, which is the place of
forgetfulness.2 Pharaoh said, "I do not know
G-d," which is the opposite of da'at. [The exile
continued] until the aspect of Moses was revealed in the world,
the aspect of da'at. Then, "the king of Egypt died"
(ibid. 2:23), which is Pharaoh, the neck. Forgetfulness was
lifted, and the aspect of da'at came into the world.
Then they realized their shortcomings, and "The children of
Israel cried out from their labor" (ibid.). They realized that
they were lacking in the service of G-d. "And their cries rose to
G-d from their labor." All of this was because of Moses: "And
Moses was a shepherd" (ibid.).3
Therefore, since the essence of the Egyptian exile was the
removal of da'at, which was a spiritual exile, the
aspect of forgetfulness and their inability to recognize their
own shortcomings, it also became a physical exile. This is not
true of one who recognizes his own shortcomings by means of
da'at. For then, he can repent and fix what he lacks,
and speed the final redemption. Toldos Yaakov Yosef,
Pekudei
1 The recognition of one's faults is the first step
in coming to deliverance, since one can then cry out to G-d
over what one is lacking. This is a common theme in the
writings of R. Yaakov Yitzchok of Polnoye.
2 The root letters of the word Pharaoh,  , also constitute the letters of the word "neck,"
oref,  . In Kabbalah, the face always
corresponds to that which gives illumination. The Hebrew word
for face, panim, is the same as the word for "interiority,"
penim, for the face reveals the soul. The "back"
always represents that which conceals, for little can be
discerned by seeing someone's back. Based upon the
coordinates of the sefirot and the human body, Da'at
corresponds to the throat, for the throat is the passageway that
unites the mind and the heart — a function of
da'at. Moses corresponds to da'at, the throat,
and illumination, whereas Pharaoh corresponds to the back of
the neck, exile and concealment. (Thus, according to the
Midrash, Pharaoh sought to cut off Moses' head.)
3 Moses was the aspect of da'at, and
when he came to redeem the Israelites, he invested them with
da'at as well.
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THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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1.2 You shall make a light for the ark (teiva), and you
shall finish it to an amah above.1 Make a door on
its side, with lower, second, and third stories shall you make it.
(Genesis 6:16)
The word (teiva)2 [that you utter in
Torah study and prayer] should shine. For in every letter there
are worlds, souls and divinity. These ascend, join together, and
unite with Divinity. Then, the letters form a word, and make
true unifications in G-dliness. You must merge you soul with
each of these aspects. Then all the worlds will join together and
ascend, which causes immeasurable pleasure and delight.
"Lower, second, and third stories" — That is, "worlds,
souls, and G-dliness" for "G-d has three worlds."3
You must also listen to each word that you say, for the
Shechinah — the "World of Speech"4
— is speaking, and you become its handmaid.
"A light" — it should shine out and give joy to your
Creator. One needs great faith for this, for the Shechinah is
called "the faith of a craftsman."5 But without
faith, it is called "A murmurer separates the aleph"
6 (Proverbs 16:28).
"You shall finish it to an amah above" — that is,
[it should rise to] Imah.7 Alternatively,
once the word leaves your mouth, you needn't keep it in mind,
and to watch it rise to its high place, just as you can not look at
the sun. This is the meaning of, "you shall finish it above."
How can you do all this? "You and your entire household should
come into the ark" (Genesis 7:1). That is, enter into the word
with all your body and energy. Tzava'as HaRivash
1 A cubit.
2 Teiva —  — in
Hebrew means both "ark" and "word."
3 Zohar 3:159a.
4 Zohar 3:290a.
5 Zohar 3:16b.
6 A reference to the Master of the World
— Alupho shel Olam.
7 Referring to the world of Binah, called
the Supernal Mother.
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THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
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Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch (later known as the Mezritcher
Maggid) did not want to submit himself to the Baal Shem Tov
and to come and see him. It was only because of his extremely
poor health that he sought the Baal Shem Tov's help and
treatment. And so, the Baal Shem Tov brought about his
recovery through prayers, supplications, and miracles.
Eventually, he transmitted to him all the wellsprings of his
wisdom, so that the Maggid become the leader of the
generation. The light of his holiness still shines through his
disciples from generation to generation, and from their words
we live, until the coming of the Moshiach (Redeemer), may it
be soon in our days. The Baal Shem Tov had to show the
Maggid miracles in order to draw him under his wings.
Tiferes Shlomo, rimzei Purim.
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KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
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The Letter
1.1. To my beloved brother-in-law, my friend who is dear to
me as my own heart and soul, the exalted rabbi and Chasid,
renowned for his Torah scholarship and fear of Heaven, our
master, Rabbi Avraham Gershon, may his light shine. Peace
unto him and his family, his modest wife, Bluma, together with
all their children; may they be blessed with life, amen, sela.
I received the letter written by your holy hand, which you sent
by means of the emissary from Jerusalem, at the fair of Luka
in the year 5510 (1750 c.e.). It was written with extreme
brevity, explaining that you had already written at length to
each of us individually and had sent those letters by means of
a certain man en route to Egypt. However, the letters never
arrived, and I was sorely grieved that I never saw the work of
your holy hand which was written in greater detail. Assuredly
this is due to the calamitous state of the many lands in which
the plague has spread because of our many transgressions. Not
far from our region the pestilence has reached the holy
community of Mohilev, as well as Wallachia and Turkey.
[Your letter] also states that the Torah teachings and mystical
revelations which I sent you through the rabbi and preacher of
the holy community of Polonoye did not reach you; this, too,
caused me great distress. It certainly would have given you
great joy if they had reached you. I have since forgotten many
[of those teachings]. However, the few details I still remember
I will write to you in brief.
On Rosh Hashanah of the year 5507 (1746 c.e.), I made a
[Kabalistic] oath and elevated my soul in the manner known to
you. I saw wondrous things in a vision, the likes of which I had
never witnessed since the day my mind first began to awaken.
The things that I saw and learned when I ascended there would
be impossible to communicate, even if I could speak to you in
person. When I returned to the lower Garden of Eden, I saw
many souls, both living and dead, some known to me, and
others unknown — their number was beyond reckoning.
They were hastening to and fro in order to ascend from one
world to another through the Column known to those initiated
into the Mysteries. Their joy was too great for the mouth to
express or the physical ear to hear. Also, many evildoers were
repenting, and their sins were being forgiven, since it was a
special time of Divine favor. Even to me, it was amazing how
many of them were accepted as penitents, a number of whom
you also know. There was great joy among them, too, and they
ascended in the same manner.
Together they begged and implored me unceasingly, "Because
of the glory of your Torah, G-d has granted you an additional
measure of understanding to grasp and to know these matters.
Ascend with us so that you can be our help and support."
Because of the great joy that I beheld among them, I agreed to
go up with them… And I besought my master (Achiyah
HaShiloni who lived during time of King David) to accompany
me, for the ascent to the Supernal Worlds is fraught with
danger. From the day of my birth until now, I never
experienced such an ascent as this.
I went up from level to level until I entered the Palace of
Moshiach, where Moshiach studies with the sages and
righteous, as well as with the Seven Shepherds. There I found
extremely great rejoicing, but I did not know the cause of this
delight. At first I thought that it might be due to my having
passed away from the physical world, G-d forbid. Later they
told me that I had not yet died, for they have great pleasure on
high when I effect mystical unifications in the world below
through their holy Torah. However, to this very day, the nature
of their joy remains unknown to me.
I asked Moshiach, "When will you come, master?" And he
replied, "By this you shall know: it will be a time when your
teachings become publicized and revealed to the world, and
your well-springs have overflowed to the outside. [It will be
when] that which I have taught you — and that which
you have perceived of your own efforts — become
known, so that others, too, will be able to perform mystical
unifications and ascents of the soul like you. Then all the evil
klipot (forces) will be destroyed, and it will be a time of grace
and salvation."
I was amazed at this and greatly troubled, since a long time
must pass for this to be possible. But while I was there I
learned three seguloth and three Holy Names that are easy to
learn and explain. My mind was then set at ease, and I thought
that with these teachings the people of my own generation
might attain the same spiritual level and state as myself. They
would be able to elevate their souls and to learn and perceive
just as I do. However, I was not granted permission to reveal
this during my lifetime. I pleaded for your sake to be allowed
to teach you; but I was denied permission altogether and took
an oath to that effect.
Yet this I can tell you, and may G-d assist you, so that your
way be pleasant to the Lord: Never stray, particularly in the
Holy Land, whenever you pray or study, and with every
utterance of your lips, from intending to bring about the
unification of a Divine Name, for every letter contains worlds
and souls and G-dliness, and they ascend and combine and
unite with one another. Then the letters combine and unite to
form a word, and they are actually unified with the Divine
essence — and in all these aspects, your soul is bound
up with them. All the worlds become unified as one, and they
ascend and bring about great joy and delight without measure.
Consider the joy of a bridegroom and bride in this lowly
physical world, and you will realize how much greater is the
joy on such a lofty spiritual level.
G-d will surely help you. Wherever you turn, you will succeed
and become enlightened. "Give wisdom to the wise, and he will
become wise all the more." Please pray for my sake, that I
might be privileged to dwell in G-d's land during my lifetime;
and pray for the remnant of our people who still remain in the
Diaspora.
These are the words of your brother-in-law who longs to see
you face-to-face, who prays that length of days be granted to
you and your wife and children, and who wishes you peace "all
your days — including the nights, for many good years,
amen, sela.
Yisrael Baal Shem Tov of the Holy Community of Mezibush
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