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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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THE
PROFESSOR
"When your brother becomes impoverished, and
cannot support himself in the community, you must
come to his aid." (Behar 12:3)
AND then there was the time that the Baal
Shem Tov sent a group of his closest
Chassidim on a mission to a distant town. On their
arrival, they went to pay their respects to the Rabbi of
the town, who was also a Chassid of The Baal Shem
Tov.
As they sat with the Rabbi, he began to
expound on a topic close to the heart of the Baal
Shem Tov, the value of a Jewish neshamah (soul).
The
words of the Rabbi seemed familiar to the Chassidim
but they could not recall when they had heard them
before.
Before returning to Mezibush, the
Chassidim again visited the Rabbi. The Rabbi asked
why they seemed somewhat puzzled by his teaching
on the topic of the neshama. "Your
teaching is somewhat familiar to us, but we cannot
place where or when we heard it before."
The Rabbi smiled. "The truth is you did hear it before."
He then related the following story:
One Thursday evening, the Baal Shem Tov
invited several of his closest Chassidim to
accompany him on a journey. As was often the case,
once they were on the road, he instructed Alexei, his
driver, to drop the reins and allow the horses go
where they wished. Alexei did so, and after several
nips from his bottle of vodka, was soon fast asleep.
As the horses traveled through the night, the Baal
Shem Tov fell into a deep state of mediation.
At dawn they stopped to pray Shacharis (the morning
prayers). They then continued on their journey to an
unknown destination. As the holy Shabbos
approached, they arrived at a town where there was
almost no Jewish inhabitants.
The horses came to a stop in front of an old, run down
shack. An elderly Jewish man ran out and began to
wave his hands in excitement: "Quick, leave! Leave
immediately! Don't you know where you are? This
village is only here because of a famous school. Only
the students, their teachers, and people that work at
the school are allowed to live here. It is forbidden for a
Jew to even enter the town! Please leave quickly
before someone attacks you, as they've done to
others before you. Your very lives may be in danger if
you stay a minute longer!"
The Baal Shem Tov calmly said: "Reb Yid, please
don't worry. We are not afraid. May we spend
Shabbos with you? I promise that nothing will happen
to you or us over the holy Shabbos."
The old man suddenly became calm. He realized
there was something special about this rabbi, and he
consented and invited them into his modest home.
The Baal Shem Tov, together with his Chassidim and
their host made exactly a minyan (a qourum of 10
men). The Baal Shem Tov
davened Minchah (afternoon prayers) with such
enthusiasm and feeling
that the Chassidim knew that it was to be a very
special Shabbos.
Suddenly, a mob of screaming students from the
town's school broke through the front door. The host
was petrified. He ran to the corner of the room,
crouched down and covered his eye so not to see the
brawl that was about to happen.
But all was quiet. The hooligan boys, who moments
ago were screaming and shaking their fists, were
frozen and unable to move. All that could be heard
was the sweet words of the Baal Shem Tov's prayers.
As the Baal Shem Tov concluded praying the Amidah,
the mob of boys turned, and quietly tiptoed out of the
house. The host could not believe it, and let out a sigh
of relief.
But a few moments later, there was a knock on the
door, and in strode one of the well know professors of
the town school. The host began to panic again, as
this professor was known as a notorious anti-semite.
As with the mob of students, the professor's attention
was captured by the prayers of the Baal Shem Tov.
When the Baal Shem Tov had completed his prayers,
the professor approached the elderly Jew and asked
him when the guest would be praying again. The old
man replied that the Rabbi would probably pray the
evening prayers after nightfall. The professor asked if
he could stay, and sat quietly waiting.
As darkness fell, the Baal Shem Tov led the evening
prayers. Afterwards, all sang Shalom Aleichem,
recited Kiddush, and began their Shabbos meal.
Throughout the meal, the Baal Shem Tov spoke
words of Torah. He explained the holiness of a
Jewish neshamah and how a soul descends to this
world to inhabit a Jew's body to fulfill its Divine
mission. "Often," he explained, "this mission consists
of doing only one simple material or spiritual favor for
a fellow Jew. Just for this one favor has this
neshamah descended from the Heavenly realms to
this lowly world." Throughout the meal, the professor
listened spellbound to the words of the Baal Shem
Tov.
The following morning the professor returned again,
and again sat in the corner throughout the Shacharis
service. He remained for the Shabbos Kiddush and
meal. Again, the Baal Shem Tov expounded on the
uniqueness of the Jewish people, and related
miraculous stories from the Talmud and ancient
times. The professor was mesmerized, and after the
meal quietly slipped out of the house.
Once again at Minchah and the subsequent Shalosh
Seudos (third meal of Shabbos), the professor
returned, remaining until after
Ma'ariv and Havdalah. Throughout this time he did not
utter a single word, but gazed intently at the Baal
Shem Tov. After Havdalah the professor departed,
and the Baal Shem Tov instructed Alexei to harness
the horses.
As before, the horses led themselves back to
Mezibush. During the return journey, the Baal
Shem Tov was in a cheerful mood. When the
Chassidim asked the Baal Shem Tov the reason for
the trip, he replied: "One day you will know the
reason."
"And now," concluded the Rabbi to the Chassidim of
the Baal Shem Tov, "just imagine my face without this
long beard." The Chassidim gasped in
disbelief. "Yes, I am that professor who spent that
magical Shabbos with the Baal Shem Tov."
The Rabbi went on to explain how as a youth, he had
distanced himself from his faith. Yet the miraculous
powers of the Baal Shem Tov had awakened his
soul. "Throughout that Shabbos I felt my soul
churning inside me. After Havdalah I resolved to
return to my people. I studied at a yeshivah and later
was appointed as Rabbi of this town."
It was then that Chassidim understood the reason for
their saintly Rebbe's journey to that town so many
years earlier - to bring a Jewish soul back to fulfill its
G·d given mission.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohane (Howard M. Cohn,
Patent
Attorney) from a story in Slumbering Souls.
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selection from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
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"If you sell something to your neighbor, or buy from
your neighbor's hand, you shall not wrong one
another." (Behar 25:14)
Everyday business transactions are also service [of
G·d] and Torah,1 for there are many laws
that pertain to them. For instance, the Mishnah
says: "One who exchanges a cow for a
donkey."2 If a person who studies this
piece of Torah for G·d's sake is very important to G·d,
how much more so if he actually performs the act and
exchanges a cow for a donkey, conducting himself
according to Torah law in this case. This is surely
considered an even greater form of worship!
G·d created the entire world for the sake of His honor,
and everything, from the smallest to the greatest,
operates only according to the Torah (except for the
nations, who are guided by the constellations). It is
possible to serve G·d and recognize His wonders in
everything, and to perceive the Supernal Intellect in
all. Even a simple person who conducts himself
according to Torah, with "a just weight, a just
measure, a just scale,"3 also fulfills a
commandment. The Sages said: "One who sits and
does not sin is rewarded as if he performed a
mitzvah."4 A person who acts this way is
constantly involved in Torah, even when he is busy
with his merchandise.
Ma'or Eynayim, Shabbat, p. 5
1Not Torah study per se, but "Torah" in
the broadest sense of the word, as the embodiment of
G·d's will in the world.
2Bava Metziah 100a
3Based upon Leviticus 19:36
4Kiddushin 39b. Although the
Talmud concludes that this refers to a person was
given the opportunity to sin yet he refrained from doing
so, the Baal Shem Tov interprets it to mean that even
a person involved with everyday activities is fulfilling
the Torah, so long as he does not sin.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer
Shore
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THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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Section 65
The congregation transgresses when they draw out
their prayers and do not allow the prayer-leader to
conclude the section of the liturgy he wants to
complete, for they prevent him from
bestowing.1 If he has to wait for the
congregation to finish, his mind will become weak,
and he will lack the concentration to bestow upon the
Shechinah. Therefore, the congregation must be very
careful not to cause this, for they will lose much good.
Indeed, it demands great and serious effort on behalf
of the prayer-leader and the congregation, to know
how to act during prayer, with the prayer-leader
bearing the greater responsibility.
Ohr HaMeir, Titzaveh
1The prayer-leader acts as a channel for
drawing down blessing to the Shechinah, which then
passes it on to the entire congregation.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
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THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
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Section 2
Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritch (known as the Mizritcher
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. The Baal Shem Tov had to show him
miracles in order to draw him under his
wings. And so, the Baal Shem Tov partially 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 the
Baal Shem Tov's holiness still shines through his
disciples from
generation to generation, and from their words we live,
until the coming of the Moshiach, may it be soon in
our days.
Tiferes Shlomo, rimzei Purim
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
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KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
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Section 85
"'I, G·d, have not changed,' but G·d has changed in
relation to the wicked, and has become hidden behind
many veils and coverings. This is the meaning of the
verse, 'I will hide My face from
them.'"1
From them G·d hides His face, but for those who
stand in awe before G·d and His presence, He never
changes. And though there are many different veils
behind which G·d hides Himself, the Baal Shem Tov
says that when a person realizes that G·d is hiding
there, He is not hidden anymore, for all evil then
disappears.
This then is the meaning of the verse, "I will hide My
face" [the verb is repeated] - G·d will hide the fact that
He is hidden.
And this is also the allusion in the verse, "The enemy
said, 'I will pursue and overtake, and split [the
booty]"2 [the first five words of the
Hebrew verse all begin with the letter
aleph]:3 This alludes to the "five
Alephs," which alludes to the Aluph/Master of the
world, as alluded to in the Divine Name
SaEL,4 which is numerically equivalent
to the Divine Names of YKVK and ADoNaI
together.
After a person realizes the rule that there is absolutely
no barrier between a person and G·d while he is
praying or studying, even if unwanted thoughts arise in
his mind, he'll know that they are only coverings and
veils behind which G·d is hiding,
Once one realizes that G·d is hiding there, He is not
hidden anymore.5
1Tikkunei Zohar #26, 71b
2Exodus 15:9
3The five corresponds to the five levels
of existence.
4This Divine Name is the source of the
archangel, Samael, who is identified as the evil
inclination and the angel of death, and everything
associated with them. This alludes that even this
angel is really only a veil behind which G·d hides
Himself.
5Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, Breishith
#1
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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