|
TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
|
|
Cont'd. from Shabbos Emor
In the last edition, Rebbetzyn Sarah took her five year
old son, Yisrael, to the
daily morning minyan to say Kadish for the soul of his
father, Rabbi Eliezer. It happened that two men, one
with a knapsack and a walking stick,
began to frequent the little study room next to the
synagogue;
and there they studied Torah.
The men who carried a knapsack and a walking
stick called the little boy to him, patted him on the
head and embraced him. And as little Yisrael always
came early, there was always time for the stranger to
teach him Torah before the people gathered in the
synagogue for the morning prayers. But the stranger
with the knapsack told Yisrael not to tell anyone about
the learning. It was to be their very own secret. Not
even his mother was to know that they were
learning Torah together.
With shining eyes little Israel promised. And indeed
he kept his secret well, so that not even his mother
knew.
And not to long thereafter, Rebbetzyn Sarah joined her
husband Rabbi Eliezer in the next world and little
Srulick was left an orphan. The local community did
their best to take care of him but he was such a free
spirit. For the next several years he lived with different
families. They would care for him and send him to
Cheder (school). But each time, after a day or two at
Cheder, he would sneak away and go into the forest.
There, little Srulick felt safe and happy as he
communed with G-d and nature.
At
first, the
school
teacher and members of the community would search
for him, scold him, and return him to school. But
eventually, they realized they couldn't control him.
They told each other, "After all, he does seem happy
and well adjusted, especially for an orphaned child,
G-d forbid."
At about 10 years old, he moved to the village of
Horodenka and became a teacher's helper. His job
was to accompanying the young children to and from
Cheder each day. At first everything went well. Srulick
taught the children songs praising G-d and
sang with
them as they walked to and from Cheder. The songs
had a powerful effect on the children and they seemed
to grow happier each day.
Being that children are so beloved by G-d,
their
feelings of joy soon began to spread throughout the
little town, which did not go unnoticed in the spiritual
worlds. The angels were happy because they thought
that this might be the heralding of Moshiach. But
the Satan was angry because such spiritual uplifting
was interfering with his work. So the Satan appeared
before G-d and requested that this spiritual
influx
cease because it was not yet time for Moshiach
to come. G-d reluctantly agreed.
So, the Satan came to the earth near the place where
the
boy Srulick was living. The Satan approached all
manner of nature, from plants and trees to insects
and animals, to help him in his task. But none were
ready to frighten or attack Srulick. After all, they
excalimed, "he loves
each and everyone of us."
But the Satan
didn't give up so easily. He thought of a new plan to
stop Yisrael from creating such a stir in Heaven.
To be continued next week. . . . .
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard Cohn
Patent Attrorney) from Legends and Stories of
the Baal Shem Tov by Rabbi Menachem Gutman
|
|
Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
|
|
Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you
shall prune your vineyard, and gather in its produce.
But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of
solemn rest for the land. . . . (Leviticus 25:3)
There are seven paths . . . based upon what I heard
from my Master [the Baal Shem Tov on the verse]: "Six
years you shall
sow year your field." (1) There are those who do not
follow the right path, and fail to realize it. They are in
the depths of the great abyss.1 (2)
Those who realize that they are not acting properly, but
continue on that path without praying for themselves.
(3) Those who know that they are not following the
right path, but pray to G-d for help. They create
a [Supernal] Unification,2
etc.3
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Tzav
1 Nukba d'tehoma rabba -
נוקבא
דתהומא
רבה.
2The Baal Shem Tov taught that a
person's soul is found wherever he places his
thoughts. If he is far from G-d, and turns to
Him for help, he unifies the lowest level with the
highest one. This is the very purpose of creation.
3There is no tradition from the Baal
Shem Tov as to the nature of the the other four paths.
However, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Pollonoye explained
that the seventh path is that of the Tzaddik. This he
compares to the seven branches of the Menorah in
the Sanctuary. The six lights, three on each side, all
incline toward the seventh light in the center. Likewise,
the six types of people all turn to the Tzaddik, who
unites them and brings them closer to G-d.
Translation and commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer
Shore.
|
|
HEART OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
|
|
Section 3.8
Contemplating our own lowliness and the greatness
of the Creator before prayer.
The early Chasidim would wait an hour before prayer
and hour after prayer.
For the first hour, they would contemplate their own
lowliness and the greatness of the Creator, as the
author of the Shulchan Aruch says. During the last
hour, they would contemplate about how they did not
pray well enough before the great King, and how their
prayers accomplished nothing.
Ohr Yisroel, from the Maggid of Kozhnitz
Translation
and
Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
DIVINE LIGHT
The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 8.
The Baal Shem Tov was
incapable of speaking down-to-earth language with
simple people because of his devekus - his intense
attachment to Heaven - until his Heavenly mentor,
Achiyah Ha Shaloni,1 taught him to recite
certain
psalms which enabled him to speak everyday
language without losing his
devekus.2
1In prior incarnations, Achiyah
HaShaloni was one
who left Egypt and was a prophet during the time of
King David.
2Shivchei Baal Shem
Tov
Translation
and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore
|
|
KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 6.
From the Baal Shem Tov comes an explanation of the
verse from Mishlei, "His woman [steered] his heart.
[Our sages teach us that] there is no word in the Torah
that can't be understood in two ways. There are at
least two categories of male and female . . . . (where
is the posuk and what more do we need?). Being that
this is the case, there is nothing that was created in
this world that is not included in something from the
rest of creation. And the choice is given to him to sway
towards some category that he wants. Thus, being
that there are always at least two possible directions
that we can travel, the woman is able to sway his
heart.
Translation and commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua Starrett.
|
|
