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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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A DUBIOUS
HONOR
And then there was the time that Reb Nochum of
Tchernobel had come to Mezibush to spend Rosh
HaShanah with his Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov. He
had arrived several weeks early to be sure he wasn't
delayed by bad weather. Also, he enjoyed studying
the deep Chassidic insights with the the Baal Shem
Tov and the other close followers before the Yom Tov
began.
On the first Shabbos he arrived, he was called to the
Torah for the fifth aliyah, the Tochocha-reproval portion
of the weekly sedra of Ki Savo, which sets forth the
chilling prophecy of Moses to the Jewish people of the
horrors that would befall them if they spurned G·d and
the Torah.
When Reb Nochum heard his name being called, he
felt shivers go down his spine.
"This is considered an honor?" Reb Nochum
wondered to himself. "Everyone shies away from this
aliya for fear that the curses described may be visited
upon them in some degree or other. And me - a
guest of the Rebbe has been given this very dubious
honor?"
Still, Reb Nochum's misgivings did not prevent him
from going up to recite the blessings upon the Torah,
especially since the Baal Shem Tov himself was to
read from the Torah scroll.
Reb Nochum had been sick for a greater part of his
life. Up until then, even the blessings he had received
from the Baal Shem Tov for a complete healing hadn't
helped him overcome the daily pains he felt because
of his poor health.
But as the Baal Shem Tov began reading the
Tochocha portion of the weekly sedra of Ki Savo, he
felt his aches and pains leave him, bit by bit. As the
Rebbe read on, he could actually experience a new
strength surge through his veins and organs, one by
one until, upon conclusion, he felt himself totally
rejuvenated as never before.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in Safron
Shel Tzadikim and translated in STORIES OF THE
BAAL SHEM TOV by Y
Y.Y. Klapholtz.
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Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
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"The L·rd whom you have glorified today to be
your G·d . . . and the L·rd has glorified
you
today to be His
special nation"
Deuteronomy 26:17-
18
It is written: "Israel, in whom I will be glorified." (Isaiah
49:3), and "the glory of Israel" (Lamentations 2:1). That
is, G·d cannot laud Himself, for who can
comprehend
His essence? Therefore, He exalts Himself in His
children, like a father prides himself in his son. With
this love, G·d created the Children of Israel,
in order
to be exalted through them. It comes out that [spiritual]
delight is revealed in this exaltation.
Kisvei Kodesh, p. 24c
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 1.5
Parable of how G·d puts us into different
situations to arouse our awareness of His presence
and out love for Him.
There was once a king who had a musician that could
play beautifully on the violin. The king loved one
particular melody, and requested him to play it for him
in his chamber many times a day. Eventually,
however, the melody became tired to the ears of the
violinist, and he lost his previous enthusiasm and
desire to play that melody. What did the king do to fill
him again with fresh enthusiasm and drive? Each day
and each time he wanted to hear the melody, he
invited a new person from the market place who had
never heard it before. And since the man was new, he
brought renewed drive and enthusiasm to the
musician. Thus the king did for a long time. Eventually,
though, the king sought advice from his counselors as
to what to do with his musician, for it was getting
difficult to always bring a new person in from the
street. It was suggested that he permanently blind the
musician, so that whenever the king wanted to hear
his favorite melody, he would tell the musician that
someone new had just come in who never heard it
before. Then, he would have a fresh desire to play.
Since he does not have any eyes, he will imagine that
someone new is really there.
What does this parable mean? Apparently,
it is speaking about prayer that is pleasing to the King
of Kings. For we, His people Israel, pray to him three
times a day, each day, the Shemona Esrei that the
Forefathers instituted: Abraham the morning prayers,
Isaac the afternoon prayers, and Jacob the evening
prayers. Every day, we pray the exact same Amidah -
morning, noon and night. Therefore, our prayers
become old. What does the King of the World do
about this? Each day, He puts a person into different
situations. That is, G·d sends a person
subtle hints and messages throughout the day that
He is with him, and what He wants of him. Usually, he
does this in the extraneous thoughts that come to a
person throughout the day. A person has to know how
to interpret them. Then a person has the power to
arouse his heart with a feeling of powerful love and
attachment to G·d. When G·d grants a
person insight and strong discernment, he knows very
well that no one prayer is ever like another, and what
he repairs in the morning prayer he does not repair in
the noon and evening prayers. Everything depends on
his recognizing and properly interpreting everything in
the world. Wherever he looks, he sees Divinity clothed
there. And so long as he grasps the exaltedness of
G·d in new ways, enthusiasm and longing are
born in him to speak before G·d with fear and
love, as though he has never yet prayed before, but
only now anew. The King of Kings sees his great
desire and love and concern to grasp and understand
His presence in himself and to grasp Him in different
aspects, so that He appears to him at every minute.
The King delights to call this man wise, and does not
trouble Himself further to send him different aspects.
Rather, He takes away from him his vision of this lowly
world and gives him a vision of the world that
transcends time. Then, there is no division of the
midos at all, and everything is equal to him. And once
he is at that level, his service is always new. Also,
since he does not depend upon the aspect of time, he
does not acquire the aspect of "old age." Then he
serves G·d with great desire and enthusiasm,
and with feelings of powerful love and attachment of
love, at every moment, without being enclothed in the
medium of the levels at all. Then it is good for him in
this world, and in the world to come.
Amen!
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 21.
After Shabbat, Rabbi Elimelech invited the Baal Shem
Tov's cantor to tell him about the holy plane of the Baal
Shem Tov. The cantor spoke of awesome things that
no one had ever heard before.
Primarily, he talked of the Baal Shem Tov's fear and
love [of G·d], and how he would perform soul
ascensions to all the spiritual worlds. The Baal Shem
Tov would do this while fully conscious and without
agitation. He would gaze into all the chambers of
Torah and the Divine Chariot. And that when he would
recite the Great Hallel, he would not say the verses,
until he saw the angel [that recites that particular
verse] and heard the exquisiteness of his song, and
could recite the verse with him.
He related the awesome holiness and sanctity of the
Baal Shem Tov, from the day of his birth. He described
how he would speak to the souls of tzaddikim and talk
with Elijah the Prophet-and especially with the G·dly
Arizal, who was with him constantly.
Once, the Baal Shem Tov asked the Arizal why he had
taught mystical secrets in an open manner, and not in
terms of worship. The Arizal answered that had he
lived another two years, he would have and everything
would have been rectified.
The cantor spoke about the Baal Shem Tov's soul
ascensions that occurred while the Baal Shem Tov's
body lay still. And how he would speak with the
Messiah, and with the Faithful Shepherd (Moses), and
what they would answer him.
He talked about how he was an expert in the "Work of
Creation," the "Work of the Chariot," and in the entire
Torah. He described how the Baal Shem Tov spoke
the language of every creature and the language of the
angels, and how he was filled with love and fear of
G·d, and all possible virtues, piety, humility,
and love of Israel.
Rabbi Elimelech commented that all the spiritual
attainments attributed to the Arizal also applied to the
Baal Shem Tov - perhaps even more so. However,
he added, that that which is written about the Arizal is
a drop in the ocean compared to who he really was.
The cantor also told Rabbi Elimelech how every Friday
afternoon, during the mincha prayer, tens of
thousands of souls would gather around the Baal
Shem Tov, and he would fix them and raise them all to
their source.
From the Manuscripts of Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac of
Komarno
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 178.
RUNNING TO AND
FRO
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
All things always yearn and strive to return to their
Source Above. Thus, if a person were to always be so
enthused by his Torah study and service of
G·d, he would be swallowed up by the
experience and lose his identity. This was the state of
existence before the World of Tikkun,1
as
alluded to in the verse, "The graves of
passion,"2 as said in Brith Menuchah.
This is also why the windows of the heavens opened
to let down the Flood rains.3
Therefore, G·d arranged that man would have
to take out time to see to his material needs, to eat,
drink, and earn a livelihood, even if one lives
meagerly. Thus, by having to take out time from
serving G·d at these times, the soul has time
to rest and one's powers of understanding are
strengthened to later return to serving G·d.
And this is the meaning of the verse, "The angels run
to and fro."4
1The Sefiroth, in their original
state, were overwhelmed by the Divine Light, and were
shattered.
2Numbers 11:34. The allusion is that the
spiritual passion caused the graves, that is, a "death"
of identity. Indeed, it is known that great tzaddikim
were swallowed up by the experience of deep
deveikus meditation and their souls returned to
G·d.
3Here, too, the original intention of the
Flood waters was to be abundant blessing, but that
generation was unable to endure the abundance, and
perished instead.
4Ezekiel 1:14.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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