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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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THE DREAM
INTERPRETER
"Pharoh said to Yosef, "I've had a dream, but
there is
no-one to interpret it. But, I've heard it is said about you
with certainty that you listen to a dream, (understand it,
and are able to) interpet it." Genesis 41:15
And then there was the time that there lived an
extremely hospitable man, Reb Yankel, who greatly
enjoyed providing comfortable lodgings and delicious
meals to the poor people passing through his village.
If that wasn't enough, he also sent his guest away
with a generous amount of money to help them on
their way. Unfortunately, Reb Yankel had one glaring
character flaw. That is, he would always applaud
himself for his generosity and ask others, "Wasn't that
great of me?"
Word of Reb Yankel's great generosity and also his
boastfulness reached the Baal Shem Tov. Realizing
that Reb Yankel's conceit greatly reduced the
worthiness of the wonderful mitzvah of honoring
guests, the Baal Shem Tov sent his student Reb Zev
Kotses on a mission to rectify the situation.
"Reb Zev," said the Baal Shem Tov, "just go
to Reb
Yankel's and act as if you are a wandering beggar.
Accept his hospitality and the right thing will happen.
And if he wishes, please bring him to me.
Just before Shabbos, Reb Zev wandered into Reb
Yankel's little village. It wasn't too long before he was
provided comfortable lodging and hospitality for
Shabbos at Reb Yankel's home.
After Reb Zev was settled, Reb Yankel inquired, "Don't
you think I'm a remarkable host?"
Reb Zev answered, "We'll see."
After a delicious Shabbos meal, with plenty of
L'Chaims (drinks of alcohol), talks of Torah and
singing, all of the guests
went to sleep in a large room set aside for that
purpose. Reb Yankel had the custom of sleeping in
the room among his guests. After Reb Yankel had
fallen asleep, Reb Zev reached over and touched his
hand.
Just then, Reb Yankel had an intense dream. In the
dream, a King came to visit him. He treated the King
with his usual generosity. While they were eating and
talking, the King suddenly slumped over and died.
The King's attendants grabbed Reb Yankel and
locked him in the King's prison on the charge of
poisoning the King.
The situation looked bleak,
when
suddenly a fire broke out in the prison and Reb Yankel
escaped. He traveled for many days and finally ended
up in a remote village where he became the water
carrier. Being that this village had many wells and
several streams, Reb Yankel could barely make a
living. Then one day, he fell while carrying two pales
of water across his back. He broke both of his legs
and was in such intense pain that he couldn't move.
Suddenly, he remembered how he had once
been a rich man and began to cry.
Just then, Reb Yankel awoke with a start. When he
realized he was safe and comfortable in his own bed,
he nearly fainted. When he saw Reb Zev staring in his
eyes, he blurted out, "Oh my Heavens! I just had such
a vivid, scary dream."
Reb Zev said, "If you want to, tell me about it."
After Reb Yankel told him the entire dream, he
asked, "What do you think it means?"
Reb Zev answered, "I'm not sure, but I think my rebbe,
the Baal
Shem Tov could interpret it for you."
So as soon as Shabbos was over, they traveled
together to Medzibush.
Reb Yankel met the Baal Shem Tov and told him
all the details of his dream. When Reb Yankel asked
for an interpretation, the Baal Shem Tov
explained, "When
G·d comes to you in the form of guest, He
can't remain in your presence because of your pride.
So He allows His servants to threaten and punish
you. But before anything really bad happens, He
allows you to escape because of the merit of your
mitzvah of hospitality. Nevertheless, because of your
conceit, spiritually you
are like an extremely poor, suffering man."
When the Baal Shem Tov finished, Reb Yankel cried
out, "Oh Rebbe, please help me!"
With the help and instruction from the Baal Shem Tov,
Reb Yankel was aroused to repent. He returned to his
home free of his pride and he continued to do the
great mitzvah of hospitality.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story in HISGALUS
TZADIKIM as translated in STORES OF THE BAAL
SHEM TOV by Y. Y. Klapholtz.
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Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
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"And it came to pass, at the end of two years . . ."
(Genesis 41:1)
"Happy is the man who makes G·d his
trust. . . ." (Psalms 40:5). This refers to
Joseph.1
The verse says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in
G·d, and G·d will be his trust"
(Jeremiah 17:7). The Baal Shem Tov taught, there is
the one who trusts, the one who promises, and the
thing that is trusted in; that is, the agent upon which a
person relies to receive the promise. For instance,
G·d promises to provide a person with all of
his needs, if he follows His ways, and the person
trusts in this. However, he still needs some causal
agent by means of which G·d will send him
his livelihood, such as a business deal, or other
transaction.
Such a person has not reached the essence of faith.
Because the main thing is to believe in G·d
alone, and nothing else. A person with faith does not
need any intermediary agents through which to attain
his livelihood. G·d is the ultimate cause and
mover of all. Even if he makes no efforts to support
himself, G·d can still send him his livelihood,
in His great love. This is the meaning of: "Blessed is
the man who trusts in G·d, and G·d
will be his trust." That is, our trust is G·d
Himself, for He alone is the source of our livelihood.
Everything is only G·d, may He be blessed.
Even if a person receives support through
intermediary means, he must believe fully that it is
only from G·d, who wants to support him this
way, though it does not necessarily have to come
through this channel. Only trust in G·d. This is
a very high level.
Degel Machane Ephraim, BeShalach
1Pesikta Rabbosai, 89:3.
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 96
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
When a person begins to pray, as soon as he says
the words "L·rd, open my lips,"1
the Divine Presence clothes itself in him and speaks
his words [of prayer]. If a person believes this, he will
certainly experience fear and awe. G·d also
contracts Himself, as it were, and rests with him, as it
says: "He peers through the cracks" (Song of Songs
2:9), that is, through the letters, which are palaces. A
person goes from palace to palace [during the prayer
service], and is judged in each one whether he
deserves to enter. If he would only realize that they are
judging him when extraneous thoughts enter his
mind, he would certainly pray with more
concentration. The problem is that he forgets that they
are judging him.
Likutey Amorim, p. 1b
1 "L·rd, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare Your praise" (Psalms
51:17). This verse is recited at the beginning of the
Amidah prayer. The implication is that the mouth
declares G·d's own words of praise, not
merely our praise of Him.
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 33
A great scholar, the author of the
sefer Kitzos HaChoshen, once asked the holy Rabbi
Tzvi of Zidichov: "What is the difference between one
day and another? From the day the Baal Shem Tov
became known, the number of Chasidim who follow
him has multiplied. The Baal Shem Tov bases
himself upon the roots and foundations of the
teachings of the Arizal. Yet, we don't find that any
special groups attached themselves to the Arizal.
What did the Baal Shem Tov innovate in the roots of
Chasidus that attracts such a large following, with
groups in every city?"
Rabbi Tzvi answered him with a fine
parable.
Once, the citizens of a certain country had to appoint a
king. Now, they heard that in a very distant land, there
was remarkable man: a man of towering stature and
wisdom, beautiful to look upon, with flowing hair, pure
as wool. He was complete with every virtue, and there
was no other as fit as he for the kingship.
However, because he was so far away, it
was impossible for them to get a detailed picture of
each of his merits, though they did have an overall
image of his wondrous virtues. Still, many of the
townspeople could not grasp or comprehend the
essence of the matter.
It occurred, then, that someone who had travellled to
that distant land and had seen that man with his own
eyes, came to them and was able to describe him in
every detail. His words entered the hearts of a number
of the people, who could understand him. However,
the majority of the people still could not understand
everything based upon testimony alone.
Finally, one wise man travelled to the distant land and
actually brought the man back and set him before
them, so that all who desired could see him.
Multitudes flocked to him and saw for themselves his
wondrous virtues. Now that they had.seen what he
was and they understood with their own minds that he
was fit to be king, they devoted themselves to him in
love and set the crown of monarchy on his
head.
The parable can be understood as
follows.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his companions were
the first to reveal a little of "G·d's secrets to those who
fear Him" (Psalms 25:14) in the Holy Zohar and
especially in the two Idras, However, they carefully
hid the meaning of their words. And so it remained,
until the "World of Repair" was revealed in the
generation of the Arizal.
Arizal came to make known and explain that which
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his companions had
concealed. However, all the holy words of the Arizal
deal with supernal lights and supernal worlds, and
cannot be grasped by every person. All his words are
in the highest heavens, and relate to spiritual matters.
The multitude cannot be enlightened by them.
Finally, our Master and Teacher, the Rabbi of the
entire Diaspora, the holy Baal Shem Tov, revealed
Divinity even in this lowly world, in each and every
detail, and especially, in human beings. He showed
how everything-every limb and gesture-is a
garment for a Divine power hidden within it.
So too, with everything in the world, for there is no
place devoid of Him. And he revealed the great power
of Tzaddikim, who liken the form to its Creator. For
there is no movement or word that does not contain
awesome and wondrous unifications. Every person is
created upon this earth, in order to achieve greatness
and wonders, and to act in this world, while alluding to
the supernal world.
The Baal Shem Tov taught us how to bind ourselves
in deveku s to G·d with every action-even in
mundane conversation. As it says: "'And their leaves
shall not wither' - this refers to the common talk of
Torah scholars." Thus, he brought the king before
our eyes - the King of kings, the Holy One, may He be
blessed.
Divrei Tzaddikim
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 127
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
The slaughter of the evil inclination in the future
means that its evil will be removed from it, that is, its
letter mem, and it will then remain SaEl, which is a
holy Name.1
1
Toldot Yaakov Yoseph, Kedoshim #2.
This "slaughter" thus does not mean that evil will
cease to exist, but only that man will then be able to
see G·d through its deceptive illusion.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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