|
BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
|
|
A PINCH OF
STUFF
"And G·d spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak
to the children of Israel and have them bring Me an
offering. Take My offering from everyone whose heart
inspires
him to give." (Terumah 25:1-2)
"Whose heart inspires him," - this is an expression
of voluntary contribution. Rashi
And then there was the time that a poor man
named
Reb Shmuel came with a group of beggars to collect
charity at the shule of the Baal Shem Tov. The
shammos (caretaker) of the shule gave each beggar
a few coins but the poor man declined.
"No, thank you," said Reb Shmuel, "I want to speak to
the Baal Shem Tov."
"Let me ask the Rebbe," said the shammos. The
shammos returned and offered the poor man a larger
sum of money.
Reb Shmuel responded, "No, thank you, I only want to
meet with the Baal Shem Tov."
After the shammos related what happened, Reb
Shmuel was invited in to meet with the Baal Shem Tov.
"So," said the Baal Shem Tov, closely studying the
poor man, "you are not satisfied with my donation?"
"Rebbe," responded Reb Shmuel, "I don't want a
donation. I'm not a beggar, just a poor man that is
down on his luck. I used to be a very rich man and
was known as a baal tzedeka (philanthropist) that
often helped people get started again if they had a
business setback. Every Shabbos and Yom Tov my
table was surrounded by poor people and wanderers.
I had a large, successful business. Then one day,
everything changed. I lost all my wealth and finally had
to resort to living as a wandering beggar. Rebbe, why
did I lose my wealth and position so suddenly?"
The Baal Shem Tov thought for a while and said, "My
dear friend, it's just a pinch of snuff." (In those days,
sharing a pinch of snuff was common and considered
to be of little financial consequence, like a mint today.)
"What do you mean, Rebbe?" said the poor man. "It's
not just a pinch of snuff. It's my whole livelihood that's
gone. Can't you see, I'm walking around in rags and I
have holes in my boots."
"You don't understand," answered the Baal Shem
Tov, "I mean your loss of wealth was caused by a
pinch of snuff. Do you remember one Shabbos when
you were sitting at your table surrounded by many
guests and you took a pinch of snuff from your special
jeweled, silver snuff box and then suddenly closed the
snuff box?"
The poor man started to remember that fateful day as
a clear vision of the incident flooded his memory. "Oh
my G·d," said the poor man to the Baal Shem
Tov, "there was a poor wanderer sitting next to me.
When he reached over to take a pinch of snuff from my
special jeweled, silver snuff box, I closed it and
said, 'What's wrong, isn't that other snuff box I put on
the table for my guests good enough for you to use?'
That poor wanderer turned red with embarrassment
and didn't say another word."
"That's exactly what I'm speaking of," said the Baal
Shem Tov. "That man had also been a rich man that
was down on his fortune. He had been planning to
ask you for a loan to get back on his feet. But, he was
so embarrassed by what you did that he just left
without speaking to you. And just at that moment,"
continued the Baal Shem Tov, "it was decreed in
Heaven that you would change places with him. Your
fortune would go to him and you would have to beg
from door to door as he had."
"Oh Rebbe, now I remember so clearly, moaned the
poor man. From that day, all my business ventures
failed and I lost everything until I reached the state that
I'm in, having to wander and beg. Oh, what I wouldn't
do to take back that thoughtless act. Rebbe, is there
anything I can do to change my situation?"
The Baal Shem Tov closed his eyes and thought. After
a long pause he said, "Well, if you were to approach
that beggar turned rich man and ask him for a pinch of
snuff and he would refuse you, then your fortunes
would again be reversed."
The poor man immediately left and started to wander
looking for that man with whom he had changed
places. After many months, he came to a town that
was buzzing with preparations being made for a big
wedding. He learned that the bride was the daughter
of a very rich man. A huge banquet was planned for
the wedding and everyone in the town was invited. The
poor man went to shule to catch a glimpse of the rich
man. At first he didn't recognize him because of his
fancy clothes and new stature. But, finally the poor
man realized, "Oh my G·d, that's him!"
The poor man began to plot a plan as to when to
confront the rich man and ask him for a pinch of snuff.
He decided to wait until just the right time, the night of
the wedding.
At last, the night of the wedding arrived. It was a huge
celebration as only such a rich man could afford. After
the wedding ceremony, everyone was in the banquet
hall eating and drinking and dancing. And right in the
middle of the party, the rich man was dancing
surrounded by his friends and well wishers. Just at
that moment, the poor man broke through the crowd
and approached the rich man.
"Excuse me," he said to the exuberant rich
man, "could I please bother you for a pinch of snuff?"
The rich man, immediately broke away from the other
dancer's and took out his jeweled, silver snuff box and
offered the poor man a pinch of snuff. The poor man
fell down in a swoon. Everyone started to run over to
see what happened. The rich man told them, "Move
back, give him air!" Then he said to the poor man with
great concern in his voice, "What's wrong? Do want a
drink? What can I do for you?"
The poor man started to cry. "Why did you give me the
snuff? If you had just refused, I'd be rich again,"
continued the poor man. Then he told the rich man the
whole story of how they changed places.
"Oh yes, I remember that day. And it is true, from that
day on, everything I touched turned to gold. I became
richer and richer. It almost seemed to be heaven sent.
In some way you are my benefactor and I'm not going
to let you suffer any more. Your wandering days are
over. I have a great idea. Why don't you join me in the
business? There's much more than I can handle by
myself. You can move your family to this town and we
can work together."
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 Y.Y. Klapholtz.
|
|
Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
|
|
And the L·rd spoke to Moses, saying:
Speak to the Children of Israel and have them
dedicate to Me a contribution. Take My offering from
every person whose heart inspires him to
generosity. (Exodus 25:1-2)
The Baal Shem Tov
taught:
A person should seek ways to transform his mundane
desires - all that "his heart inspires him" - into good
qualities. And from his habitual, bad traits, he should
learn how to serve the Creator with the same passion
and desire, even more intensely.
Tiferes Shlomo, Toldos
I heard from my Master [the Baal Shem Tov], in the
name of Rabbi Sa'adiah Gaon, that it is appropriate to
desire all kinds of material things, and through this, to
come to a desire for Torah and serving G·d.
Ben Poras Yosef, Vayechi, p. 85b
Translation
and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
|
|
Section 105.
The fact that a person experiences foreign and
confusing thoughts during prayer is actually a good
sign. We can explain this by way of example. A
human king surrounds himself with numerous walls
and guards so that no one can approach him.
Sometimes a person wants to present the king with a
request, and the guards sense that it will be bad for
them. If they are sure that he is an unimportant
person, and that the king will certainly not heed him or
fulfill his request, they let him through; for what
difference does it make? However, if he is one of the
king's important ministers, the guards do all they can
to prevent him. They do not want him to see the king,
for they know that it will be bad for them, as the king
will heed his words.1
The same applies to prayer, which is
attachment [to G·d] in order to uplift all the holy
sparks
from the side of evil, and from all the low things. This
is bad for them. But if a simple person approaches
G·d - whose prayers are anyway not so good,
and make no impression - they leave him alone, and
do not confuse him too much. Not so, a G·d-
fearing person,
whose prayers bear fruit below and in their supernal
root. The side of evil does everything it can to disturb
him with foreign thoughts. If a person is wise enough
to realize this, he will strive with all his might and cry
out in a bitter voice, "Father, save me!" Then, the Holy
One, who longs for the prayers of Israel, will open all
doors for him, and bring about a proper rectification,
uplifting the holy sparks and bringing the redemption.
Sefas Emes (from R. Meshulam Feivush of
Barzan), Va'erah
1In this case, the gate-keepers
represent the
forces of illusion that keep people from recognizing
and drawing close to G·d. These manifest
themselves in the consciousness as the distracting
thoughts and desires that arise during prayer. These
forces (and thoughts) are only enlivened by a spark of
holiness that is exiled among them. The Tzaddik
(corresponding to the King's minister) wants to
redeem this spark, and bring it to
the King, thereby robbing them of their power, and
negating them. Thus, they opposed his entry into the
palace.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore ·
|
|
THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 42.
My teacher and father-in-law,
Rabbi Abraham Mordechai of Finshtov told me that
once, one of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov asked
our Master, "What will be my livelihood?" The Baal
Shem Tov answered him, "You will be a cantor." The
disciple said, "But I can't sing!" And the Baal Shem
Tov replied, "I will bind you to the World of Melody."
My father-in-law told me that he knew that
man, and said that there was not another cantor in the
entire world equal to him.
Once, this cantor came to our
Rabbi, Rebbe Elimelech of Lizensk. An argument
ensued between the Rebbe and his son, the Tzaddik,
Reb Elazar, over whether or not to honor the cantor
with Kabbalas Shabbos. Rebbe Elimelech was afraid
that the cantor would disrupt him from his holiness.
The Cantor had two men who accompanied him: a
bass singer, and another singer.
After the debate, they decided to honor the
cantor with his two accompanists. This was out of
their great fear of the holiness of the Baal Shem Tov,
for the cantor was known as "the Cantor of the Baal
Shem Tov." Out of respect, they were forced to honor
him, and whatever would be, would be.
When the cantor began to receive the
Sabbath, Rebbe Elimelech sent word that the second
accompanist should leave, and only the cantor and
the bass singer should sing together. Afterward, he
ordered them both to stop, for he was afraid that he
would be completely annihilated in the great light and
supernal holiness and illuminations that they opened
up for him through their singing.
On subsequent Sabbaths, the Rebbe
showed great honor to the cantor, but he would not let
him pray before the congregation, out of fear, as we
explained.
After Shabbat, Rebbe Elimelech invited the
cantor to tell him about the holy level of the Baal Shem
Tov. The cantor told him awesome things that no one
has ever heard before. The main thing was about the
Baal Shem Tov's fear and love [of G·d], and how he
would perform soul-ascensions to all the worlds,
while fully conscious and without agitation, and gaze
in 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 verse] and heard the exquisiteness of his
song, and recited the verse with him. He related the
awesome holiness and sanctity of the Baal Shem Tov,
from the day of his birth, and how he would speak to
the souls of Tzaddikim and 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,
everything would have been rectified.
The cantor spoke about the Baal Shem
Tov's soul-ascensions while his body lay still. And
how he would speak with the Messiah, and with the
Faithful Shepherd (Moses), and what they would
answer him. How he was an expert in the "Work of
Creation," and the "Work of the Chariot," and in the
entire Torah, and in 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 on this that
all the spiritual attainments attributed to the Arizal also
applied to the Baal Shem Tov, and even more. Only,
that which is written about the Arizal is a drop in the
ocean compared to who he really was.
The cantor also told R. 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.
He told him that when the Baal Shem Tov
would look at any object, such as a bench or a table,
he could tell all the thoughts that the craftsman had
when he made that object. Rabbi Elimelech was
astounded by this.
Afterward, as the conversation continued,
the cantor told Rabbi Elimelech how the Baal Shem
Tov could gaze from one end of the earth to the other.
Once, when his students were sitting before him, the
Baal Shem Tov chuckled a little, as he was wont. They
asked him why he chuckled, and he said that in a
certain city in a very distant land, a nobleman spent
several years building a beautiful castle. Just now, a
Tzaddik went to pray the afternoon prayers, and it
started to hail very heavily, so that he had to run and
take shelter in that castle. When the Tzaddik left for the
synagogue, the palace collapsed. "How can I not
laugh over how much G·d's direction of the world is
hidden? The main purpose of this great building was
only to give shelter to this Tzaddik for a short while,
and through this, the Tzaddik rectified all of the stones
and all of the sparks [of holiness] that were in them.
Why, then, did they need to remain standing? That is
why they immediately collapsed."
Later, we saw in the newspaper the story
of this building, and its unexplainable collapse. And it
happened exactly at that hour [the Baal Shem Tov
laughed]. Then, the cantor stood up and swore that
he once learnt Torah from the Baal Shem Tov, and
fired burned around them until they were so purified
that they heard the Torah from our Master like Israel
received it at Mount Sinai, with thunder and lightening
and the mighty blasts of the shofar. It was exactly like
Mount Sinai! For the sounds [of Mount Sinai] never
ceased, being Divine; however, a person needs
holiness and purity [to hear them].
Rabbi Elimelech replied, "I have not
achieved that, though it comes as no surprise, for the
service and holiness of our Master Yisrael [Baal Shem
Tov] was extremely great. Especially, in that his holy
practices were in that pure place, the Nestir river, and
from Achiya HaShiloni. Fortunate is the person who
merits this."
The G·d-fearing who hear this will
understand that all the above mentioned levels were
attained by Rabbi Elimelech, or ones similar to them.
Some time after, the cantor died. One
Friday afternoon, within the thirty days [of mourning],
his bass accompanist returned home after bathing
and immersing in the mikvah. "Hurry!" he said to his
wife. "Call the burial society and prepare ..... for in
heaven, they are honoring my cantor to greet the
Sabbath, and he refuses to do so without me. He lay
down on his bed and died.
From the Manuscripts of R. Yitzchok Isaac of Komarno
.
Notzer Chesed, chap. 6
Translation and Commentary by
Rabbi
Dr. Eliezer Shore
|
|
KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 138
'That which is exalted is scorned by
people'1- "This refers to prayer, which is
exalted to the heavens, but people slight
it."2
The Baal Shem Tov taught 3:
The effect of prayer is sometimes only on High, and
not below, which is why people make light of it,
thinking that their prayers have no effect. But this is not
so.4
1 Psalms 12:9. The translation
presented here is according to the sages'
interpretation, which is not the literal meaning.
2Tractate Berakhoth 6b.
3Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, Shelach
#7.
4Before this, the Toldoth there speaks
about two levels of prayer: the person who prays only
for his own benefit, and the person who prays only for
God's sake, by way of which he will automatically be
helped. However, as he concludes, the effects of
prayer are for some reason sometimes only on High,
and do not filter down to this world. This is true no
matter what one's intentions in prayer were.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
|
|
