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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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A KOSHER
ANIMAL
"Between the creature that may be eaten and the
creature that may not be eaten."
(Shemini 11:47)
AND then there was the time that the Baal
Shem Tov traveled to the town of
Kamenka. As
he approached the town, he heard a heavenly
voice: "Reb Yisroel, I ask that you remove
the shochet
of Kamenka from his position."
The Baal Shem Tov pondered the directive he
received. "Why would there be a heavenly
decree to
remove a shochet from his position?"
The Baal Shem Tov knew that Reb Boruch, the
Rabbi
of Kamenka was a wise and respected Rabbi who
was meticulous when it came to halachic
matters.
He was sure that if there was any
halachic problem with the town's shochet, Reb
Boruch would know of it and correct it
immediately.
"Perhaps," reasoned the Baal Shem Tov, "the
problem
is not a halachic one. Perhaps the shochet
is in a
spiritual 'position' from which he needs to be
removed."
When he arrived in Kamenka, the Baal Shem Tov
went
directly to the house of Reb Boruch who was
elated
and honored to welcome the Rebbe to his town.
He
was invited to rest there while Reb Baruch
arranged
for a celebration honoring the arrival of the
great
Tzaddik. He sent for the local shochet to
slaughter
several choice lambs for the occasion.
After the slaughtering, when inspecting the
lambs, as
halacha requires, the shochet found one of
the lambs
to have a certain lesion that he decided
rendered it not
kosher. He removed the unfit lamb and hung
it on a
hook in the passageway behind Reb Boruch's
home.
Later that day, Reb Boruch found the Baal
Shem Tov
smoking his pipe in that passageway and
staring in
deep concentration at the slaughtered lamb.
After a
few minutes, the Baal Shem Tov turned to Reb
Boruch
and said, "Rabbi Boruch, would you be so kind
as to
cut a piece of meat from this animal and
roast it for
me."
Reb Boruch thought that his Rebbe had made a
mistake.
"Rebbe, this animal is tref (not kosher).
Let me
prepare a piece from one of the other animals
that the
shochet just slaughtered."
"No," answered the Baal Shem Tov, "I want a
piece
from this particular animal."
"But Rebbe, the shochet told me personally
that this
animal is not kosher."
The Baal Shem Tov turned to him and said, "I
understand. But I can hear this animal
begging me
that it be able to fulfill its purpose in
this world; that it
be slaughtered by a G d-fearing shochet and
that a
blessing be said by a Jew before it is eaten
so its
nefesh (soul) can be elevated. Let us speak with the
shochet and find out why he considers it not
to be
kosher."
Immediately, Rabbi Boruch sent for the shochet.
When he arrived, Reb Boruch asked in front of
the
Baal Shem Tov, "Why do you think this lamb is
tref?"
The shochet explained his doubt as to whether
the
animal was one hundred percent kosher, and his
hesitancy to allow any Jew to eat it. Then he
continued, "It is true, however, that there
are several
rabbinic opinions regarding this particular
question.
Some consider it to be kosher, and some do not."
The Baal Shem Tov then understood the
'position' the
shochet was in from which he had to be
removed. Although the shochet was
G d-fearing and an expert
shochet, he did not understand the spiritual
consequences of his holy position.
"In that case," spoke the Baal Shem Tov to Reb
Boruch, "please cut me a piece of meat and
roast it for me." Reb Boruch stared at the Baal
Shem
Tov in shock. On one hand he wanted to
fulfill the
request of his Rebbe. On the other hand how
could
he feed the Rebbe tref meat, a prohibition
directly from
the Torah?
The Baal Shem Tov understood the dilemma of
Reb Boruch.
"Please send a messenger to Rabbi Shmuel, the
Dayan (judge) in the holy community of
Polonnoye,
with a letter explaining the doubts the
shochet has
about this animal and let him be the
judge."
Reb Boruch, relieved at the Baal Shem Tov's
decision,
immediately sent a messenger to Rabbi Shmuel.
The
messenger returned that same day with Rabbi
Shmuel's reply stating that the meat was indeed
kosher and the halachic reasons for his opinion.
The Baal Shem Tov had indeed complied with the
heavenly decree, and had removed the shochet
from his 'position,' and placed him in a much
better one!
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story in Shivchei
HaBesht and translated in In Praise of the BAAL
SHEM TOV by D. Ben-Amos and J. Mintz
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selection from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
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"And Moses said to Aharon: Draw near to the altar."
(Shemini 9:7)
Rashi comments that Aharon was ashamed and
afraid to draw near [to the altar].1 Moses
therefore said to him, "Why are you ashamed? You
were chosen for this."2
This is a surprising explanation. Just because he was
chosen doesn't mean that he should not be
ashamed.
Rather, I heard from my grandfather [the Baal Shem
Tov] this explanation: [Moses said,] "You were chosen
because you feel fear and shame before
G d,"3 for "The sacrifices of G d are a
broken spirit." (Psalms 51:19)
4
This idea has also been mentioned in the writings of
the Arizal.5
Degel Machane Ephraim, Shemini
1Because of his involvement in the
making of the Golden Calf.
2I.e., to serve G d in the Sanctuary.
3That is, when Moses said, "You were
chosen for this," he meant, "You where chosen
because of this."
4I.e., because Aharon was humble, he
merited offering sacrifices to G d.
5The Arizal writes (Likutey Torah on this
verse): "Because you have the qualities of humility and
shame, you were chosen over your fellows to be the
Kohen (Priest). " R. Tzadok HaKohen writes that it was
the very
shame Aharon felt over having made the Golden Calf
that made him worthy of being chosen as Kohen
Gadol (High Priest); for every fall can lead a person to
rise in the
very area he stumbled, to the opposite
extreme.
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 61
We will make you circlets of gold with dots of silver.
(Song of Songs 1:11)
"Circlets of gold" is fear of G d. "Dots of silver" means
love of G d.1 That is, do not speak
words of Torah and prayer with ulterior
motives,2 for that creates kelipot that
clothe themselves in wicked people to take
vengeance upon you. This is the meaning of [G d's
promise to Noah], that the wicked people of the
generation would not kill him.3
Understand this!
You also need more fear than love, the latter being
called "dots of silver."
Ben Poras Yosef, p. 21b
1Kabbalistically, gold corresponds to the
Sefirah of Gevurah, which is the root of fear of G d.
Silver, kesef, is related to the word "to long for" —
l'kesof , implying love, and relates to the Sefirah of
Chesed.
2Such as to gain respect from
others.
3When he built the ark. See Rashi on
Genesis 6:18.
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 51
"If a person were to come and tell me, "I saw the Baal
Shem Tov build a ladder and climb to heaven alive,
physically, in his clothing," I would believe him. For
whatever they say about the Baal Shem Tov is
possible to believe."
The Seer of Lublin, from a letter of the Da'as
Torah
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 80
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
The most important thing when praying in exile is
faith — to believe that G d's glory fills the earth. By so
doing, one elevates and exalts the Shekhinah (Divine
presence.)
One must also believe that as soon as one expresses
the words of prayer from his mouth, his request is
answered. And even when one's request does not
seem to be answered, this is because the answer
has remained hidden from him. For example, his
request may have been answered for the benefit of the
world in general, although he had requested that his
personal suffering be removed. However, this itself is
for his benefit, for instance, to atone for his sins. But if
the intention of one's request is that he personally
should be answered, then one has entered an
element of [materiality] into his request. One's
request should be solely for spiritual benefit, for the
sake of the Shekhinah presence, and not for
some earthly benefit, which creates a veil of
separation.1
This, then, is the meaning of, "Jacob lifted his
legs"2 — which refers to the "legs" of the
Shekhinah3 — by virtue
of his faith and trust, as the verse says, "Take courage
and strengthen your hearts, all those who trust in
G d."4 This is the meaning of the oral
teaching on the
verse, "Jacob lifted," which says that his heart lifted his
feet after he was promised [that G d was with
him].5
1The teaching begins with a statement
that G d's glory
exists equally throughout the earth, an axiom that itself
is an aspect of Oneness. Acknowledging this is in
prayer reveals the Divine presence to the one praying —
it "elevates and exalts the Shekhinah." But for this to
be revealed to the one praying, for one to experience
the Oneness, one cannot have one's personal needs
in mind, because this creates a "separation" between
oneself and the Oneness. One must rather perceive
oneself as an inseparable part of the totality of the
Oneness of creation, and pray for the benefit of that
Oneness, for one automatically benefits from the
benefit of the Oneness. This is the meaning
of "praying for the sake of the Shekhinah," because
G d's presence is revealed on earth, as said, only to
the extent that man perceives the Oneness of
creation.
2Genesis 29:1
3The "legs" of the Shekhinah are a
reference to the
lowest spiritual levels, just as the legs are the lowest
part of the body (Degel Machaneh Ephraim,
VaYaytzay). Jacob was able to elevate the people
at
these levels because of his faith that G d can be found
within their worlds as well, in other words, that he, at
his exalted spiritual level, and they, at their lowly
levels, are equally part of the singular body of mankind
in general, and the Jewish people in specific.
4Psalms 31:25
5Rashi ad loc. Since Jacob was
promised that G d
was with him, by automatic extension, He is with
Jacob's "feet," the lowest levels. This encouraged
Jacob to indeed elevate those levels with this very
message.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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