|
BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
|
|
THE UNTRUSTWORTHY
SHOCHET
"Moses said to the Israelites, 'You may eat as much
meat as you wish, you need only slaughter your cattle
and small animals that G·d will have given you in the
manner that I have prescribed.'" (Re'eh 38:20-21)
AND it happened that once, the Baal Shem
Tov was traveling through the countryside, as he often
did. It was already Friday afternoon when he came
upon a small village. The local Rabbi invited the Baal
Shem Tov to stay with him for Shabbos and the Baal
Shem Tov was happy to accept the invitation.
The Rabbi was so excited, that he rushed to tell his
wife, the Rebbetzyn, "Quick prepare a very special
Shabbos meal in honor of our guest, the Holy Baal
Shem Tov."
"My husband, we are all ready, thank G·d, because I
just bought a piece of beef from the shochet (a Jewish
slaughterer that kills the animals in accordance with
the requirements of Jewish law). I'll cook an
especially good meal for our guest." But when she
went to cut the meat, it was gone. She looked
frantically through out the house but it was nowhere to
be found.
In desperation, the Rebbetzyn asked her next door
neighbor to lend her a piece of the roasted meat she
had already prepared for Shabbos. Her neighbor
agreed but when she went to get the cooked meat, it
was mysteriously missing. When she went to a
second neighbor to borrow a piece of meat, her piece
was also missing.
In frustration, she returned home to ask her husband
what to do. As she walked in the door of her home,
she looked out the window and coincidently saw the
local shochet walking by on the street.
The Rebbetzyn rushed outside and told the schochet
her story of woe.
"Don't worry Rebbetzyn," said the schochet, "Just a
few hours ago, I slaughtered a fat calf. It'll be my
pleasure to get you a prime piece."
Just then, the Baal Shem Tov happened to be walking
by. He stopped and was introduced to the shochet by
the Rebbetzn. He told the shochet, "You know, I really
love to eat the head of a calf. Could you please bring
the calf's head to me whole? I'd like to help clean it."
The shochet readily agreed and immediately left.
Soon thereafter, he returned to the Rabbi's house with
the head of the calf.
The Baal Shem Tov was waiting for the shochet. After
the shochet put the calf's head down on the kitchen
table, the Baal Shem Tov asked him about the
number of teeth a typical calf has in its mouth. The
shochet wasn't sure of the number. The Baal Shem
Tov explained, "Some say it's one amount of teeth and
others disagree and say it's a different number of
teeth. Would you please count the number of teeth
this calf has?"
The shochet opened the calf's mouth and put his
hand in to count the teeth. Just then, the calf's mouth
closed on the shochet's hand. Then the calf's mouth
began to close more and more tightly causing the
calf's teeth to cut deeper into the shochet's hand. The
shochet started to scream.
The Baal Shem Tov looked directly into the shochet's
eyes and said, "Why are you crying? Isn't the calf
dead?"
The shochet started to panic. "Help me, help me!" he
pleaded.
The Baal Shem Tov started yelling, "Confess you
wicked man! The calf wasn't kosher, was
it?"
"I don't know Rebbe, I really don't know!" cried out the
shochet. "I never check the lungs (as required by
Jewish law) to see if a calf is kosher. Instead, I just
decide by chance whether the meat is kosher or
not."
"You mean you've caused all of your friends in this
community to eat tref (non-kosher meat)?" asked the
Baal Shem Tov.
The shochet just mumbled, "I guess so." Then he
stood there looking out with a blank expression.
When the local Rabbi heard the news, he had a fit.
He just kept saying over and over, "You mean we've all
been eating tref, G·d forbid."
He immediately ordered the shochet to resign from
his position. By this time, the news had spread
throughout the village. First the villagers discussed
how the Baal Shem Tov had used a miracle to trap the
shochet. Then how the shochet had been tricking
them into eating tref. They were all furious with the
shochet. The shochet was so embarrassed that he
hid at home with his family and planned to sneak out
of town as soon as Shabbos was over.
But before the shochet left the town in disgrace, the
Baal Shem Tov instructed him what repentance he
would have to do to for such a sin.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in SHIVCHEI
HABESHT and translated in IN PRAISE OF THE BAAL
SHEM TOV by Ben Amos and Mintz.
|
|
TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selection from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
|
|
"And you will say, I will eat flesh." (Re'eh 12:20)
The Talmud says: "Love compresses the
flesh."1 Meaning to say, love of G·d
compresses and purifies the flesh, which is the body.
It can also be said that love compresses and
sweetens the flesh, which is Harsh Judgment; for the
flesh comes from the side of Judgment, as is
known.
Likutey Yikarim, p. 5c
"Of these you shall not eat, the buzzard (ra'ah)."
(Re'eh 14:13)
Why is it called the ra'ah? Because it sees (ro'eh)
very far. It is taught, the buzzard stands in Babylon
and sees a carcass in the Land of
Israel.2
An unrefined person is called Babylon, for he stands
amidst the foolishness and vanities of the
world.3 A Tzaddik is called the "Land of
Israel." The one who stands in Babylon - in
foolishness - looks at the Land of Israel - upon the
upright man - as though he were a
carcass.4 Understand this!
Ohr Ha'Emes, p. 107b
1Bava Metziah 84a. The context
of this statement is a discussion in the Talmud
between a Roman matron and Rabbi Yishmael bar
Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon,
both of whom the Talmud describes as being
extremely fat. The matron said to them, "Your children
are not your own." They answered, "Our wive's
stomachs are bigger than ours!" "All the more so!"
she replied. "Love compresses the flesh," they
answered her.
2Chulin 63b
3The ancient settlement of Babylon
(present day Iraq) is the site of the Tower of Babel,
where the nations of the world were dispersed.
To "stand in Babylon" means to be overwhelmed by
the confusing thoughts (BilBuLim) that arise in a
coarse and unrefined mind.
4I.e., something rotten and spoiled.
This reflects the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov that
the entire world serves as a mirror for each individual.
If a person sees negative traits in others, it is because
he embodies that same trait himself.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer
Shore
|
|
THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
|
|
Section 80
When you pray, you should concentrate on arousing
the letters through which the heaven and earth, the
upper and lower creatures, and all the worlds were
created. Then, all the worlds and the entire creation
will recite the words of prayer and praise with you, for
the letters you invoke are the vitality of [all] creatures.
This intention elevates all of creation, in heaven and
on earth.
When people of a high spiritual level pray
with this intention, they also arouse the letters of
individuals on a low level, so that they too can pray
with greater concentration and exuberance, and
become better people.
The Baal Shem Tov also told his disciples
to pray even for the chirping bird flying overhead. This
intention also helps people benefit from the words of
Torah with which you admonish them.
The Baal Shem Tov was emphatic about this.
Darchei Tzedek 39
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 16
A man once came to the Baal Shem Tov with a
question. He had studied the natural sciences and
philosophy, and discovered that according to the laws
of nature, the Red Sea was supposed to split at that
very moment the Children of Israel arrived there. Why,
then, do we believe that the splitting of the sea was
such a great thing? This question deeply troubled
him, and he traveled to the Baal Shem Tov.
When he arrived there, even before
presenting his question, the Baal Shem Tov rose and
went to the study hall, where he summoned all the
townspeople to hear a sermon. "There are fools and
heretics in this world who have trouble believing that
the splitting of the sea was a miracle," he
said. "These people have eyes, but cannot see. It is
written: 'In the beginning, G·d created the heavens
and the earth.' G·d's Name 'Elokim'1 has
the
numerical value of 'Nature,'2 for nature is
also created
by G·d. Thus, the Sages said on the verse: 'And the
sea returned to its strength' (Exodus 14:27),
that 'G·d
made a condition with the sea.'3 From
the very
beginning, G·d built it into the sea to split before the
Children of Israel at that time. This makes the miracle
even greater! For from the beginning of creation, G·d
created the natural order for the sake of Israel, as it
says: 'In the beginning' - for the sake of Israel, who is
called 'the beginning.'4 This nature of
the sea was
created for Israel. Had they not required this miracle,
G·d would not have built it into the sea."
Beis Yaakov, Bereishis and
Beshalach
1Each of G·d's Names has a different
significance.
The Name used in the first chapter of Genesis,
describing the creation of the world, is Elokim.
2Elokim has the same gematria as
hatevah, 86.
3Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis
21:6. The words "to its
strength" - l'eitano, is interpreted by the Sages
as "l'tanao" - "to its stipulation." That is, G·d made a
stipulation with the sea, when He created it, that it
would split at that moment for the Children of
Israel.
4See Rashi's commentary on
Genesis 1:1. Israel is
called "the beginning," as in the verse: "Israel is the
L·rd's hallowed portion, the beginning of His produce."
(Jeremiah 2:3)
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 106
"Pharaoh brought close." 1
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
When evil serves as a catalyst for good, then the evil
becomes a vehicle for the good, and everything
becomes completely good, virtually a complete
nullification of evil, as will take place in the future.
Deep concepts are contained in this idea regarding
untoward thoughts, but let this suffice.
Similarly, when the sages said that Abraham's slave,
Eliezer, was transformed from cursed to blessed
because of what he did for Abraham, they were also
alluding to this idea.
1Exodus 14:10. The sages
comment that this verse implies that Pharaoh brought
something else close. This, they say, alludes that
Pharoah's chasing the Israelites brought them close
to G·d, because they cried out to Him and repented.
The Baal Shem Tov's teaching here is based on this
comment.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
|
|
