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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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JOB'S PENNY
"Take from yourselves a portion for G d, everyone
whose heart motivates him shall bring it."
(Vayakel 35:5)
AND then there was the time that a line of
people wound its way from the
door of the Holy Baal Shem Tov. Many stood in line
too
seek advice and blessing from the holy
tzaddik.
One of those who waited was Reb Zissel - a simple
man with very little in this world. He humbly asked the
Baal Shem Tov for a blessing so that he wouldn't
have to live in poverty and depend on the charity of
others.
The Baal Shem Tov listened intently to Reb Zissel's
pleading. After a long silence, the Baal Shem Tov
said, "I wish to help you, but it is not within my power
to do so. Heaven prevents me from granting such a
blessing."
But Reb Zissel was not so easily dissuaded. "Please
Rebbe," cried Reb Zissel, "I have traveled so far and
waited so long — isn't there even the smallest
blessing you could grant me?"
The Baal Shem Tov sat quietly for a moment, but
could only respond that there was nothing he could
do.
Suddenly, the Baal Shem Tov stood and walked over
to his bookshelf and removed a sefer (holy book). It
was the Talmud Baba Basra. He opened it at
random, and looked closely at the open page and
read the following words: "He who takes a pruta
(penny) from Job will be blessed."
The Baal Shem Tov turned to Reb Zissel, who stood
in respectful silence by the tzaddik's desk. "Reb
Zissel, these words have deep meaning. Each Jew
has an instinctive desire to help his fellow Jew. That
desire is borne from the source of his soul, which is
an absolute part of G d. Just as G d created this
physical world out of His selfless kindness, so to
each Jewish soul desires to bestow that kindness
upon others. This statement in the Talmud teaches
us that a worthy man, who dispenses charity and
kindness to others, has the power to bestow his
blessing of success upon the tzedaka (charity) that he
gives, as well as to the recipient who will benefit from
the gift. Now, let me think if I know of such a
man?"
At that moment the Baal Shem Tov thought of Reb
Shabsai Meir, a well known Baal Tzedaka
(philanthropist), who lived in the city of Brod. Not only
did Reb Shabsai give generous amounts of charity to
the needy, but he did so with the sincerest feelings
of "ahavas yisrael" — of true love for his fellow Jew.
And even more so, Reb Shabsai prayed fervently that
The Almighty continue to bless him with wealth only
so that could continue to give generously, and that the
recipients of his giving would themselves be blessed
with wealth and success. The heavenly court saw
Reb Shabsai's kindness and heard his sincere
prayers, and indeed granted all his wishes. As time
passed, Reb Shabsai was blessed with increasing
wealth, and those who benefited from his kindness
also became successful.
The Baal Shem Tov then said to Reb Zissel, "There is
one person who can help you. Travel to the city of
Brod, and seek out Reb Shabsai Meir. He has the
power to help you. Ask him for a donation. The
money that leaves his hand is blessed, and it
bestows blessing upon all who receive
it."
Reb Zissel thanked the Baal Shem Tov and journeyed
to Brod. He spent Shabbos with Reb Shabsai and
when Shabbos was over, Reb Zissel begged Reb
Shabsai for a donation, which Reb Shabsai gave
willingly and with a broad smile. Soon after, Reb
Zissel departed Brod carrying Reb Shabsai's
donation.
Soon, Reb Zissel circumstances began to improve,
and he never again had to depend on the charity of
others again.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story in SEFER
HASICHOS as translated in STORIES OF THE BAAL
SHEM TOV by Y.Y. Klapholtz.
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selection from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
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"Do not burn a fire in any of your dwellings on
Shabbat." (Vayakel 35:3)
One may move a new lamp [on
Shabbat],1 but not an old
one.2 Rabbi Shimon says, "One may
move any lamp, except a lamp which burns on
Shabbat."3
Shabbat 44a
The human soul is called "a lamp," as it says: "The
soul of man is the lamp of G d" (Proverbs
20:27), and the Sages said: "Your lamp is in My
hands."4 According to the holy Zohar, all
souls are taken out of Hell on Shabbat, except for
those who desecrated Shabbat [during their
lives]."5
This explains the Mishnah above. "One may move a
new lamp" — a soul, which is called a lamp, that did
not [completely] befoul itself with sin6
can be moved out of hell on Shabbat; however, an old
lamp — a soul that had been entrenched in sin — may
not. But R. Shimon says,7 "One may
move any lamp except the lamp which burns on
Shabbat. A person who desecrated Shabbat will burn
in Hell even on the Shabbat, as retribution."
Kesser Shem Tov, part 2, p. 17a
1The Mishnah discusses the laws of
muktza, things which are forbidden to move on
Shabbat by rabbinic decree. A new oil lamp may be
moved if used to hold a permissible substance.
2An oil lamp that has already been used
cannot be moved on Shabbat, even if it is empty, since
it is no longer fit for anything but lighting.
(Earthenware lamps of ancient times generally
became unsuitable for other purposes after their first
use.)
3R. Shimon disagrees and states that
only lamps that are actually burning on the Shabbat
cannot be moved, lest the fire go out.
4Midrash Rabbah, Emor 31:4
5Zohar 2:150b
6I.e., which is still relatively new.
7R. Shimon's opinion in the Mishna is in
keeping with the statement of the Zohar, which he
authored.
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 58
When you want to pray, it should first be with awe, for
this is the gate to enter before the Blessed
One.1 You should say in your heart: "To
Whom do I want to attach myself? To He Who
Created the worlds with His words, and Who enlivens
and sustains them!" You should meditate on His
greatness and exaltedness. Then you can be in the
supernal worlds.
Tzava'as HaRivash, p. 7b
1See Shabbat 31b
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 48
The holy Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl said, "I
believe that until the coming of the Redeemer — soon
in our days — whenever a Jew sighs and his heart
breaks with thoughts of repentance, it comes from the
power of the Baal Shem Tov.
Mefalos HaTzaddikim
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 77
"What is the onus for slaughtering? One opinion says
for coloring, and another opinion says for taking life.
[The opinion that says for coloring means for coloring
and not for taking life? No, he means also for
coloring.]"1
The Baal Shem Tov taught:2
We are taught that the evil inclination will be brought to
justice in the Future. The question is how it can be
held responsible for doing what it was created to do?
The answer is that it will be brought to account for
disguising itself as the good
inclination.3
This is alluded to in the above teaching, "What is the
onus for slaughtering?" This refers to the evil
inclination that slaughters man's soul. Why is it held
responsible, since this is what he was created to do?
The answer is, because it "colors" itself and
disguises as the good inclination, and is thus able to
trick man and take his soul.
This is also alluded to in the verse, "The words of his
mouth are evil and deceit":4 evil refers to
sin, and deceit refers to fooling man into believing he
is doing a good deed. As a result, as the verse
concludes, "He refrains from understanding to
improve"; man does not repent from his "sins,"
because he believes them to be good deeds, and one
does not repent from doing good deeds.
1Tractate Sabbath 75a-b
2Ben Porath Yoseph 127a
3If the average person would be
confronted by something about which he was
absolutely sure was improper conduct, that he could
not justify to himself, let alone to others, he would not
have the temptation to do it. So the evil inclination
fools man into rationalizing away his negative
behavior, denying its true nature, and perceiving it as
impeccable conduct with the noblest motivations.
4Psalms 36:4
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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