And it once happened, ten days before Pesach, that the Baal Shem Tov and his daughter Udel arrived in Istanbul on their way to Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel). They had sailed from the port city of Odessa leaving ample time to reach Eretz Yisrael before the holiday began. Once out to sea, the weather turned stormy. After a day of treacherous weather, the captain announced, "Unless the weather subsides by daybreak, we will dock in Istanbul to wait for better weather. It is too dangerous too continue."

Now, just two days before Passover, the Baal Shem Tov and his daughter Udel found themselves in Istanbul. They were exhausted and penniless after the hardship of the arduous journey from Mezibush.

Usually, the Baal Shem Tov's reputation preceded him wherever he went. But In Istanbul, no one recognized the famous Rebbe as he walked among the Jewish people busy with their Passover preparations.

And then another strange event occurred; the Baal Shem Tov suddenly lost all of his heavenly powers.

Not knowing where to spend Pesach, the Baal Shem Tov went to a small synogoue to study, hoping that someone would invite him and his daughter to their home to celebrate the Pesach Seder.

Meanwhile, Udel took her father's holiday clothing down to the sea to wash. She sat by a rock, weeping as she scrubbed, remembering the beautiful Seder at her home in Mezibush and thinking of their prospects for Pesach, without wine, matzos or other kosher food.

As Udel sat weeping, a passenger ship arrived at the harbor. Among the passengers was a wealthy merchant who had noticed the weeping young girl. Touched by her sorrowful appearance, he approached to offer some assistance.

Udel was not one to talk to about personal issues with strangers, and particularly regarding her father, but in her emotional state she broke down. "My father is a famous Tzaddik (Holy man) who is being punished by heaven by having all his powers taken from him. We are alone in Istanbul with no food, and nowhere to celebrate the Yom Tov (holiday)."

"Please do not worry," said the merchant. "I'll send a carriage to bring you and your father to my home where you can both spend the Yom Tov in comfort." Udel hurried to the synogogue, to tell her father the good news. Together they made their way to the merchant's luxurious home where they were made to feel welcome. After refreshing themselves with drink, they were shown to their quarters. The Baal Shem Tov promptly went to sleep in anticipation of the evening Seder.

The Baal Shem Tov slept for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, his host went to shule for the evening prayers. Seeing that the Baal Shem Tov was still sleeping on his return, the merchant asked Udel to wake her father as the hour was late and certainly the time to start the Pesach Seder Yom Tov.

"I am sorry," replied Udel, "I cannot wake my father. Such a thing is disrespectful. Every act of a Tzaddik has deep meaning. If my father is sleeping, then it is for a purpose."

"Very well," responded the host, "I will have to wake him myself."

As the merchant entered the room and approached the bed, he was stunned by what he saw: The body of the Baal Shem Tov was glowing brightly and tears flowed from his closed eyes. The merchant immediately realized that his guest was no simple man. So he quickly and quietly left the room. After what he had seen, he was not about to disturb the Tzaddik's rest.

A short while later, the Baal Shem Tov woke from his sleep thoroughly refreshed. While he had slept, his spiritual powers had returned and he began his evening prayers with his usual fervor and devotion, a sight, which further inspired and impressed his host.

The Baal Shem Tov led the Seder with his great inspiration, singing, and expounding the inner meanings of the Exodus from Egypt. His host, the merchant and Udel sat spellbound. When the Baal Shem Tov came to the words of the Hallel Prayer, "Le'oseh niflaos - For He performs wonders," the Tzaddik's voice rang out loud and clear, as he articulated the words with utter devotion. The sound of his words carried out far into the stillness of the night. The rest of the Seder passed in previous fashion and it was early morning by the time they had finished. Until now the merchant had refrained from making any comments or asking questions for fear of disturbing his G-dly visitor. But now that the Seder was over, he ventured several comments.

"Rabbi, if I may ask, why did you sing that particular verse of The Hallel so loudly?"

"The Jews of Istanbul were in grave danger," disclosed The Baal Shem Tov. "While I slept, my soul ascended to heaven where I interceded with all my might on their behalf. At the very moment that I sang the Hallel so loudly, I was informed that the decree had been nullified. You will learn all about it tomorrow morning in shule."

On the following morning, as the congregation assembled for their holiday prayers, one prominent member of their community suddenly rushed in. "Mazel Tov, my good friends. Congratulate yourselves on having escaped imminent danger, praised be Hashem (The Name)."

Everyone crowded around to hear the details of his surprising announcement. "As you may well know," he began, "our late Sultan was in the habit of dressing in common clothing to walk incognito among his people, as did his father, the previous Sultan. This particular stroll took him far out of the city limits and before he realized what had happened, he was surrounded by a group of roving bandits." "They seized him and brought to their hideout. It occurred to the Sultan that these thieves did not know his identity."

"After his pockets had been emptied of the all his valuables, the sultan was confident that he would be released. But the thieves informed him that they must kill him since he knew the location of their hideout."

"The sultan contemplated his chances of survival. 'If I reveal my identity, they will surely kill me, for they would realize that capital punishment would await them of anyone knew whom they had captured and robbed. Let me use my wits instead and see if I cannot save myself.'"

"'I am trained with a particular skill which may bring you much profit,' he told his captors. They gathered around the Sultan in interest: 'I know how to fashion valuable tapestries, given the proper raw materials. My products will fetch high prices for you on the market. Try and see.'"

"The robbers were willing, for the sake of profit, to give his plan a fair try. They purchased simple mats from which the sultan fashioned his tapestry. After two days, the first product was ready for the market." "The finished product did not over impress the bandits but the Sultan hastened to warn, 'this tapestry can only be appreciated by a true connoisseur of art. Do not be daunted if at first people laugh at the price you ask. But by no means are you to settle for less than what I tell you. Go from shop to shop until you find the proper customer, a person who is expert enough to appreciate this work.'"

"It happened just as the captive has foretold. At the first place they entered, the bandits were greeted by jeers and hoots when they demanded an outlandish price for their merchandise. The scene was repeated at the next store and again at the next. By now a large crowd of people had gathered to see the outcome of the farce. Who would be mad enough, they wondered, to pay the price these men were asking for what appeared to be a simple mat? Just then my father happened to walk by, attracted by the commotion. He learned from the people around me the cause of the gathering and pushed forward sensing something had happened. He was shown the merchandise and quoted the ridiculous price. Here was clearly something deeper than met the eye, he was sure, as he asked the men to allow him so that he could examine the tapestry closely. A quick look showed him that there was nothing especially artistic about the piece before him saves for one letter intricately woven and hidden in the cloth."

"'I'll take it at your price,' my father told them, and went on to ask about the craftsman who had fashioned it. The men were reluctant to give him any information. 'If you like this work, we can bring you more like it,' they promised but that was all they would say."

"The bandits returned to their hideout with good news for the imprisoned Sultan. Not only had his cloth been purchased at his price, but the customer wished to order more. The sultan was certain that some clever person had caught on to his ruse and set about his work cheerfully, ingeniously weaving in the second initial into the center of the cloth."

"When this cloth was brought to my father the next day, he knew that he had been right in assuming that it contained a clue. After paying the price he hurried to the Sultan's palace with his tale. The palace broke into pandemonium. No one knew what had happened to the Sultan. Searches were being organized but no trace or clue had yet been found. When my father presented his story and evidence to the proper authorities, all agreed it was indeed the Sultan who was trying to send a message as to his whereabouts. My father was told to hold his tongue but continue to purchase the tapestries as they were brought."

"Day after day, letter by letter, the sultan spelled out directions to his location. Soon, a battalion of soldiers was dispatched to the robber's hideout where they succeeded in freeing the Sultan."

"The Sultan did not forget my father, his benefactor, and summoned him to the palace. 'How can I thank you enough?' he said. 'Name a reward and you will have it.' My father refused to hear of a reward. 'Is it not reward enough that I have had the privilege to save the life of my king? It is a privilege which is reward in itself.' This was not enough for the Sultan, however. He made out a proclamation stating that my father and his children would forever have the privilege of free access to the Sultans palace and the attention of the Sultan himself for any need they may have. This all happened to my father many, many years ago. He never had any reason use his privilege."

"My father passed away as did the Sultan. Until this day, I found no cause all these years to seek access to the Sultan."

"This year our Sultan happened to be walking through the market place with his Chief Counselor, who is well know as one who vehemently hates Jews, when he notice a flurry of activity. Cartloads of strange bread were being transported from place to place. The Sultan had never seen anything like it. 'What are these cakes?' he asked his Chief Counselor. 'These are called matzos. They are eaten by the Jews throughout the holiday they call Passover. Some Jews pride themselves in eating only "shmura" (watched) matzos made from the blood of a Muslim child which they slaughter for that purpose.' The Sultan was stunned! 'Don't take my word for it, Your Majesty' the counselor said, 'make your own inquiries. You will hear the same story.'"

"The Sultan did ask around and learned that there were, in fact, many Jews who only ate the special loaves known as shmura matza which were baked under the most careful supervision and inferred that his counselor's comments had indeed been true. He was horrified."

"He instituted a special inquiry to determine which Jews ate only shmura matzah. He intended to have his guards arrest the culprits while they sate at their Seder, and imprison them."

"Then, last night, on the eve of our holiday, I had a dream. My father appeared to me to warn me of the impending danger. He instructed me to go straight to the Sultan, by virtue of my special privilege of free entry and present the true version of the blood libel to acquit my fellow Jews. I was to expose the Sultan's Chief Counselor for what he was - not a devout Moslem as the Sultan thought, but a practicing Greek Orthodox Christian. Tell the Sultan to send his soldiers to the counselor's home in the middle of the night,' my father instructed, 'and they will find him in bed with a cross upon his chest.'"

"I awoke towards evening, deciding that the dream had been simply a dream, and I went about with my preparations for the evening Seder. But suddenly I became very tired-so much so I had to lie down. I fell asleep again and my father appeared once more, warning me to heed his advice for only I could save the community. When I awoke the second time I realized that it was not a meaningless dream and that immediate action had to be taken."

"It was already late at night when I arrived at the Sultan's palace. Despite my right to enter the palace when I wished, I did not want to cause a commotion and wake the Sultan. I begged the palace guards to take me to the "Old Queen," the Sultan's mother. The Queen happened to be awake, and listened patiently to my story. I hastened to remind her that in all these years neither my father not I had used our privilege. If I was asking her to intercede for the Jews on my behalf, it was because the matter was one of life or death."

"The Queen asked me to wait while she spoke to her son. She did not plan to present the Jew's cause for she had heard nothing of the impending decree and thought it might not be true. Instead, she decided to tell her son she had dreamed that his father, the late Sultan, had appeared to her in a dream, instructing her to warn her son against issuing any evil decrees. At first the young Sultan denied any impending evil decrees. When his mother mentioned the Jews, he confessed. 'Yes, Mother, but my law concerning the Jews is a beneficial one for it concerns those Jews who use Moslem blood in their matzah baking. I have ordered this cult to be destroyed for the public benefit.'"

"Seeing that the Jew had spoken the truth, the Queen now told the entire story to her son who asked that the wine merchant be brought before him. I ran forward, throwing myself at his feet, my story pouring out in tearful pleas. I begged the Sultan to follow my father's suggestion of sending soldiers to surprise the Chief Counselor in his own home to prove that he was unfaithful to the Moslem faith. The Sultan followed my suggestion and all proved as I had predicted. In their fury, the soldiers executed the Chief Counselor on the spot."

"The Sultan immediately cancelled the decree that would have killed us all."

"All this happened just as I was reciting the Hallel Prayer, did it not?" the Baal Shem Tov asked the wine merchant. The statement was confirmed for indeed, the Baal Shem Tov had become aware of the miracle at the very minute which coincided with his recital of "Le' ose niflaos gedolos!"

And so it was.

Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in ADAS TZADIKIM and translated in STORIES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV by Klapholtz.

Then G-d said to Moses: 'Behold, I will make bread rain down to you from heaven; and the people will go out and gather enough for each day . . . . (Ibid. 16:4)

A poor person has the privilege of speaking to the Holy One every day. A rich person, however, receives all his sustenance from G-d at once, and doesn't need to ask Him for his daily requirements - not unless he is very righteous, and realizes that everything he owns is worthless, without G-d giving it life- force to sustain him. The proof is that a sick person has all the food he needs, but still cannot sustain himself.

A poor person, with nothing to eat, must beseech G-d each day. Thus, he merits speaking to Him every day. Furthermore, G-d must also remember the poor person daily, to arrange his livelihood. However, G-d does not need to remember a rich person each day, for He already gave him everything at one time.
Rav Yebi, Tehilim

Translation and commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore.

Section 3.2

The Baal Shem Tov taught:

When you go to perform a mitzvah or pray in synagogue, do so quickly.

Righteousness shall go before him, and he will set his steps on the path. (Psalms 85:14)

This verse offers an admonishment. Maybe you go to perform a mitzvah like praying, but stop to talk with others on the way. Although you eventually fulfill the mitzvah, you sinned by not doing it more quickly. After you die, your punishment is "measure for measure" (as is known from many books). Your soul must pass over a river on a very narrow bridge. This will be extremely painful to your soul, which feels fear and dread. Yet, the soul must run quickly, because a speedy crossing is essential to get across. However, in the middle of the crossing, G-d sends an angel to block the soul. This is the same angel that was created by the mitzvah¹ you went to perform but stopped on the way. That angel had also suffered; for your thoughts before leaving your home about doing the mitzvah created the angel's soul, and the act of doing the mitzvah had created its body. However, because you delayed in creating the angel's body when you stopped to talk, the angel now stops him in the middle of the bridge, so that the soul cannot cross and thereby causes it to become afraid.

This is the meaning of "Righteousness shall go before him." The simple meaning is that all of your mitzvahs will precede you after death. With this in mind, make sure that when you go to perform a mitzvah or pray in synagogue, that you do so quickly, and not lethargically, so that "he will set his footsteps on the path." That is, your soul will not be hindered when crossing the bridge over the river.
Tzava'as HaRivash, p.14a 116

¹Every mitzvah we do creates an angel.

Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore

Section 2.
The soul of the Baal Shem Tov was so lofty that it would have been impossible for it to enter this world if his father¹ had experienced any physical desire.² Therefore, his father was one hundred years old when the Baal Shem Tov was born. His desires had already been annulled, and the Baal Shem Tov was only conceived with G-d's help.<sup>3

1</sup>Rabbbi Eliezer
²There is a classic teaching, stretching as far back as the Midrash, that the thoughts of the parents during marital relations affect the nature of the children who are born. The soul of the Baal Shem Tov so transcended physicality that he could only be born to elderly parents, individuals who no longer had physical desires.
³ Imrei Noam

Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore

Keser Shem Tov is an anthology of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov that were collected from the works of Rabbi Yaakov Yoseph of Polonnoye and edited by Aaron ben Tzvi HaKohen of Opatov. It was first printed in two volumes in Zolkiev in 1794. The following is a translation of the Shaar Blot (cover page) of the Keser Shem Tov.

Shaar Blat

Keser Shem Tov

The Crown of the Good Name

And these are the holy words of the holy and awesome Rav, our teacher, the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory for everlasting life in the world to come. These words "which were brought into the house of Yoseph" (books of R. Yaakov Yoseph of Polonoye) were found in the holy books of his student - the Rav, the great Goan, the Chossid, our teacher, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polonoye, of blessed memory for everlasting life in the world to come, the head of the court of the Holy Community of Polonoye. The holy books [from where these teachings were collected] are the sefer Ben Poras Yosef, the sefer Toldos Yaakov Yosef and the sefer Tnafnas Panach.

And behold, the one who collected [these teachings] is the young man Aaron, the son of my teacher and Rav, Tzvi Hirsch HaCohane from the holy community of Apta. I [Reb Aaron] collected all the holy words of the Baal Shem Tov from the seforim (books) mentioned above and also from other short and lengthy discourses of the Rav, the Goan, Rabbi Yaakov Yoseph (of blessed memory for everlasting life in the world to come). Other teachings of R. Yaakov Yoseph (not related to the Baal Shem Tov) were left out of this Holy book. I only put in this Holy Book what relates to the holy words of the Baal Shem Tov. The whole world is full of the honor and the glory of his (the Baal Shem Tov's) kingdom and the beauty of his greatness. And the world is illuminated from his wisdom. Also, I collected the words of the Baal Shem Tov from other books of collected sayings and treasures that were printed. Note that in this book I did not write any explanation of the teachings of the holy Baal Shem Tov. They are written, however, in books that were found by me called - the Sefer Sanctify Shabbos on the Tractate of Shabbos, the Sefer Secrets of Shabbos on Mesechta Eruvin and the Sefer Magen Avos.

Translation and commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett.

The Baal Shem Tov Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, uses emails, teleclasses and other material to spread and publicize the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov throughout the world. Please visit us at www.baalshemtov.com to learn more about the Baal Shem Tov and the work of the Foundation.

The goal of the Foundation is to hasten the imminent coming of the Moshiach (Messiah) by acting on the answer of the Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov's question: 'When are you coming Master?' (The Moshiach answered) "When your teachings have become well-known and revealed throughout the world, and when your well springs have spread outwards, imparting to others what I have taught you, so that they too will be able to perform contemplative unifications and ascents of the soul…" [quoted from a letter from the Baal Shem Tov to his brother-in-law Rabbi Gershon Kitover.]

One of the major projects of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation is the World Wide Mezuzah Campaign whose goal is to insure that every Jewish person in the world has a kosher Mezuzah attached to the doorpost of their home. Please visit www.mezuzah.net for more information.

Tzvi Meir is always available for questions and to support your work in this area.

Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney)
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Beachwood, Ohio 44122
800-613-0955
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