|
BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
|
|
A HEAVENLY
PARTNER
This weeks Torah portion VAYIGASH
(Genesis 44:18-47:27) begins with the climax of the
story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph threatens to
hold Benjamin captive in Egypt as his slave as a
result of being caught with Joseph's cup. Judah
explains that his father would die from grief if they
returned without Benjamin because. . . .
Their souls are bound up with each other
(Genesis
44:30).
And then there was the time that the Holy
Baal Shem Tov asked his heavenly teacher, the
prophet
Achia HaShiloni, "Please show me the dwelling place
in the Garden of Eden for those that are most careful
with their observance of the Sabbath." (It is said that
the Holy Baal Shem Tov was always seeking the best
way to perform G·d's commandments and in
particular, those for the Sabbath.) His teacher
agreed and led him to a sublime place in heaven
where even angels were not permitted. There, the
Baal Shem Tov saw two brilliantly shining, golden
thrones.
The Baal Shem asked his
master, "Who will
sit in these two thrones?"
Achia HaShaloni
answered, "One throne is for you and the other throne
is for your partner."
"What is so special about my partner?" asked the Baal
Shem Tov.
"You must find him and discover
that for
yourself," answered the master.
And so the
Baal
Shem Tov returned to his worldly existence having
decided that he would find
his heavenly partner as soon as possible.
The very next Saturday night,
after Havdalah, the Baal Shem decided to set out and
find this person that will be his partner in heaven. He
ordered his servant, "Alexei, prepare the horse and
wagon at once."
After they left Medzibush
(the Baal Shem's home town), he told Alexei, " Let go
of
the reins for the horse. He'll take us to where we need
to go. "
They traveled on like this for several days. Finally, they
arrived in a large German city where no Jews lived.
The horse stopped in front of a small house in the
outskirts of the city. The Baal Shem was greeted by a
German man who did not appear in anyway to be
Jewish.
The Baal Shem asked him, "Could I
stay with
you for a few days?"
"Why not,' the German
man
answered.
The Baal Shem Tov soon noticed that his
host was a plain townsman that lived without following
Jewish traditional practices. He did not appear to pray
three times a day or to eat Kosher food. "But," the
Baal Shem reasoned to himself, "If my horse stopped
in front of this house, there must be something
special about this man." So he decided to stay longer
and carefully observe the actions of the man. The
Baal Shem Tov even decided to remain there for
Shabbos.
When Shabbos arrived, the German man did not do
anything special to celebrate the Sabbath. So the
Baal Shem Tov missed his customary Shabbos
dinner of fish and chicken soup with matzoh balls and
made due with a few loaves of dry bread that he
brought along for the trip.
During Shabbos, the German hosted a great feast for
all his friends. They ate, drank, smoked, danced and
really lived it up. The whole Shabbos experience was
beyond the comprehension of the Baal Shem Tov. He
kept thinking, "How is it that this man is going to be my
partner in Heaven?"
Saturday night, as the Baal Shem was preparing to
leave, he could not resist asking his mysterious
German host for an explanation of the purpose for the
great feast he hosted earlier in the day.
The
host
responded, "When I was a small child, I was taken
away from my Jewish home and brought here. I know
absolutely nothing about Judaism. I only remember
that my father used to always teach me that we are
commanded to rejoice on Shabbos. I still remember
the many people that came to our house every
Shabbos. So to follow in the tradition of my family, I
have the custom of making a great feast every
Shabbos and inviting my neighbors to rejoice with
me."
The Baal Shem Tov then realized, "My
L·rd, this man, my partner in Heaven, has a
true
Jewish heart. What a high soul!" The Baal Shem Tov
wanted to return this great soul to its Jewish roots and
teach his heavenly partner how Jews traditionally
keep Shabbos. But, he simply could not express
himself. It was as if his power of speech was denied
to him from Heaven. The Baal Shem Tov understood
that G·d was more satisfied with the way his
heavenly partner kept Shabbos then if he were to
change and abide by the strict laws of Shabbos. "After
all," thought the Baal Shem Tov, "my partner keeps
Shabbos with a joyful attitude and a good heart. This
is the truly the highest form of service to G·d,
as we
are taught, 'Serve the L·rd with a joyful
attitude' (Psalm 100:2)."
And so it was.
This story was told over one hundred years
ago during the third meal on Shabbos in the court of
Reb Abraham Yaakov of Sadyager by Reb Liebishel
Istricher, a leading Hasid.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard
M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story transcribed by
Rabbi Samuel Intrator
|
|
Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
|
|
And Judah drew near to him and said, Oh my
lord, (Genesis 44:18)
The Talmud says, "A person should always praise
G·d first, and then pray (for his
needs)."1 Yet, in another place, the
Talmud states the opposite view.2 The
answer is that there are two separate opinions. The
Ramban3 writes that the essence of a
craftsman can be found in the craft that he
creates.4 (Likewise), the Creation is
compared to a snail, whose garment is part of
itself.5 In all suffering, there exists a
spark of holiness from G·d, although it is
hidden
within many garments. This is the meaning of the
verse: "the seven maids chosen to be given to her,
from the king's house" 6 (Esther 2:9).
When a person realizes that G·d is with him
even
there, the garments become transparent and
disappear, and the suffering is abated.
This is what it means to offer praise first.
G·d's praise is that His glory fills the entire
universe. "In all their afflictions, He is afflicted" (Isaiah
63:9) - then, there is no affliction7 - and
one can pray. When one knows how to praise
G·d in
this way, the suffering will disappear by
itself.8
The other opinion says to pray
first.9 In this case, a person's has faith
that G·d is also there [in the affliction], so that
he can offer his praise
[afterward].10
With this, we can understand the
verse: "And Judah drew near to him."11
He praised the Holy One.12 First, he
said, "Oh my L·rd" - because all affliction
derives from
this name.13 But when he drew near to
Him and praised and exalted Him, the affliction was
annulled.14
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Vayechi
1Berachos 31a.
2"Rabbi Eliezer said, a person should
first ask for his needs, and then pray." Avoda Zara
7b
3Nachmanidies (1194-1270).
4Meaning, whenever a person creates
something, something of his soul enters into and
remains in their handicraft. Great kabbalists, such as
the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov could look at an
object, and immediately know everything about the
one who made it. Here, the Baal Shem Tov applies
the principle to creation itself. Since it is G·d's
handiwork, there must be a remnant of the Creator
within it.
5Midrash Rabbosai, Bereishis 21:5. Just
as the garments of a locust are part of itself, so the
creation is not something separate from or outside of
the Divine. It is part of Him, and His Presence is
continually present within it.
6The "seven maids" represent the
sparks of holiness that have fallen among the "shells"
of impurity. The word maid, na'arah, is related to the
word "to shake out," mino'ar, because the holiness
found in these sparks has been "shaken out" of them,
until almost nothing remains. However, these sparks
yearn to return to their root. Thus, the verse from
Esther continues: "When it came the turn for each
maid to come into the king. . . " (Esther 2:12); that is,
each spark of holiness has a pre-determined time
that it will leave the shells of impurity, and come
before the King.
7The word lo in this verse is written
different than it is read. It is written lamed vav, which
mean "him," in this case, G·d. However,
tradition tells
us to read the word lo as though it were written with
lamed aleph, which means "no," in this case, "there is
not." The Baal Shem Tov combines both readings.
When a person realizes that G·d is present in
all of his
afflictions, then the afflictions themselves cease to
exist.
8R. Yaakov Yosef adds here: "I heard
from my Master (the Baal Shem Tov) that this is the
meaning of 'You will establish their heart, Your ears
will hear [their prayers]" (Psalms 10:17).
9I.e., a person who prays for his
needs, without first praising G·d; that is,
coming to the
realization that G·d is present even in the
affliction.
10In other words, even though a
person does not perceive the spark of holiness in the
suffering, if he believes that G·d is with him
even
there, he will eventually come to this realization.
11The Baal Shem Tov reads
Judah's words as not being addressed to Joseph, but
to G·d himself. See Pri Tzaddik, Vayigash 1,
by Rabbi
Tzaddok HaKohen of Lublin, who explains that
tzaddikim often address their words to the Divine
Presence, even when they are speaking to other
human beings.
12 The name Judah - Yehuda - is
from the Hebrew word "hodu" - to praise. As Leah
said, when he was born: "Now I will praise
G·d;
therefore, she called his name Judah" (Genesis
29:35). And Jacob said: "Judah, your brothers will
praise you" (ibid. 49:8).
13The Hebrew reads: "Bi Adoni."
The Baal Shem Tov sees this as alluding to
G·d's
name Ado·nai, which represents the forces of
concealment and strict judgment.
14I.e., Joseph revealed himself.
Then, the very source of the their problem - the evil
viceroy of Egypt - turned out to be their beloved
brother, whose intentions were only for their good.
Translation
and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
|
|
Section 97
The Baal Shem Tov explained the Zohar's statement
that a person is judged in each palace, and is
expelled [if he is unworthy].1 Words are
called "palaces," for the intellect dwells within them.
When a person prays, he goes from letter to letter and
from word to word. But if he is unfit, they expel him by
hurling distracting thoughts at him, and automatically,
he is outside.2
Likutey Amorim p. 7b
1Zohar I:234a
2 R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk writes
that extraneous thoughts can only enter the mind of a
person who is unhappy with his level of worship. He
compares this to a peasant who tries to enter the
palace of the king. Since he does not belong there,
the guards push him out. So too, a person who tries
to pray and serve G·d on a higher level than is
appropriate for him will be pushed away by foreign
thoughts. However, a person who is happy with his
level, even if it is not very high, will be able to pray with
clarity. Since he is in his place, nothing can push him
out.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 34
When a person carries with him
pearls and gems, he may be attacked by robbers. Not
so, however, when he carries straw. Likewise, in every
generation, wicked people and a "mixed multitude"
rise up against the congregation of Israel because
they have whatever exists in the realm of holiness.
The Baal Shem Tov saw this trouble in the last
generation and cried out over it. For because of
these "thorns," and their strange and distorted ways,
he was unable to fix the souls of the children Israel by
means of Torah study and Divine service.
Indeed, every Tzaddik and Chasid has an
opposing force, which draws to itself all the rejected
souls. At times, the wicked are able to overcome the
Tzaddik.
Notzer Chesed, chap. 2:4F
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Dr. Eliezer Shore
|
|
KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 129
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
"The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah."1
There is no greater reward than enjoying doing the
mitzvah itself while doing it with joy. Even if there were
no other reward, this would be enough. However, the
reward for doing a mitzvah with joy is indeed
infinite.2
1Tractate Avoth 4:2.
2Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, Kedoshim #5.
The point is that only when one is able to be
completely present in the moment, without the
slightest thought looking to the future for reward in the
afterlife, is one able to fulfill the mitzvoth with pure joy,
without any ulterior motive. This joy itself in the present
moment is the greatest reward one can have (see
also #113).
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
|
|
