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TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
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And then there was the time that a simple tradesman
named Reb Dovid had a memorable encounter with
the Baal Shem Tov. Reb Dovid lived in the town of
Anapol located by the Carpathian Mountains. For his
livelihood, he
made men's stockings. Everyday he prayed in the
town synagogue (shule) except when there was less
than a minyan (10 men), and then he would pray
alone at his house.
Once, the Baal Shem Tov was visiting a householder
in Anapol.
Early in the morning, the Baal Shem Tov was sitting in
the front room of his host's home and smoking his
pipe before going to daven (pray) with the minyan at
the nearby town shule.
Suddenly, he noticed through the window looking out
on the street passing in front of his host's house,
someone walking quickly to the nearby shule carrying
his Tallis and Tefillin. The Baal Shem Tov was
startled by the bright spiritual light surrounding this
person.
The Baal Shem excitedly asked his host, "Who is that
man that just walked by carrying his Tallis and
Tefillin?"
The host looked out the window and answered, "Oh,
that's just Reb Dovid, the stocking maker, on his way
to shule, just as he does at this time every morning."
The Baal Shem Tov inquired, "Could you please go
out and ask him to stop here and speak with me
before going to shule?"
"Rabbi," answered the householder, "that's nearly
impossible because Reb Dovid would never change
his routine and stop here before davening."
The Baal Shem Tov didn't insist. Instead, he went to
Shule and continued to marvel at the Divine light
around Reb
Dovid. Later, he sent for Reb Dovid and asked him to
bring several pairs of the stockings he made.
When Reb Dovid arrived, the Baal Shem Tov
asked, "So how much does each pair of stockings
cost?"
Reb Dovid answered, "Each pair costs a golden coin
and a half."
The householder joined in, "Come on Reb Dovid, can't
you sell a pair to the Rabbi for one golden coin."
"No," answered Reb Dovid, " if I wanted to sell the
stockings for less, I would have asked a lower price to
start."
The Baal Shem Tov paid Reb Dovid the one and one
half golden coins for each pair of stockings and
inquired, "tell me about your business."
"Well," answered Reb Dovid, "first I make about forty or
fifty pairs of stockings. Then, I put them all into a large
tub of hot water and stamp on them until they are soft.
Next, I let the stockings dry and I iron them flat. Finally,
I separate them into pairs."
"So how do you sell them?" continued the Baal Shem
Tov.
"I just wait until the shopkeepers come to my house
and purchase them from me. Whenever they come to
buy the stockings, they bring wool that they bought for
me and I pay them extra for their trouble."
"This time, out of respect to you Rabbi, I made an
exception and brought the stockings to you. Normally,
I only leave my house to go and daven at shule with a
minyan. And if there isn't going to be a minyan, I stay
home and daven by myself. "
"What do you do if you need lots of money, say to pay
for your sons weddings?" asked the Baal Shem Tov.
Reb Dovid answered, "G-d, blessed be He,
takes care
of me and somehow there has always been enough
money from my work for my needs including enough
to marry my sons."
"And what do you do early in the morning?" continued
the Baal Shem Tov.
"Honestly Rabbi," answered Reb Dovid, "I spend every
day, except for the Sabbath and Holidays, from early
morning until evening making stockings."
"Do you recite Psalms?" asked the Baal Shem Tov.
"I recite the ones I know by heart," answered Reb
Dovid.
After Reb Dovid left, the Baal Shem Tov commented to
his host, "Reb Dovid is our foundation until the coming
of Moshiach (Messiah), may he come quickly in our
days."
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard Cohn,
Patent Attorney) from a story entitled "The Hose-
Maker" in "In Praise of the Baal Shem Tov" by Ben-
Amos and Mintz
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Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
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"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Yisro
20:8)
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
On the eve of
Shabbos, during the Mincha and Kabbalas Shabbos
prayers, a person raises up all the words and mitzvos
of the previous week, because that is the time when
the worlds ascend.
Tzivos HaRivash, part 2, p. 4b
Once, when the Baal Shem Tov recited the Kabbalas
Shabbos prayers in the field, all the flocks gathered
around him and bleated the entire time he was
praying.
It is said that with his prayers, he lifted up all of the
lower levels, until even the flocks and the herds
attained a realization of G-d, and cried out with
him.1
1See Toldos Adam, p. 58, who says this
happened
when the Baal Shem Tov recited the words: "He lifted
up the destitute from poverty, and makes his families
like a flock." (Psalms 107:41)
Divrei Elimelech, Bechukosai
"And all the people saw the voices, and the fire and
the voice of the shofar, and the mountain smoking."
(Yisro 20:14)
When the Baal Shem Tov would teach Torah to his
holy students, they would be surrounded by fire. The
ministering angels would gather around them, and
they could hear the thunder and lightning, and the
words "I am the L-rd your G-d," from
the mouth of G-d Himself.
This is well known to all.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
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THE HEART OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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Section 2.12
The Baal Shem Tov
taught:
All words should all be
dedicated to serving G-d.
The Shechinah is in exile because She is the source
of all words. Thus, all words should all be dedicated
to serving G-d. Due to our sins, however, we
use those words to speak about physical concerns
and empty and false values.
Darchei Tzedek 1:20
Translation
and
Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
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DIVINE LIGHT
The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov
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Section 45.
G-d repays each person
based on the love the person has for the mitzvah,
such as praying, after they perform not necessarily
before.
To you, G-d, is kindness; for You
repay each man according to his deeds. (Psalms
62:13) The problem with this verse is well known, but
it can be explained according to something the Baal
Shem Tov once said. There was once a great
accusation (against Israel) on Yom Kippur.
The Satan (an angel that is an adversary) was not
accusing wicked
people, but the G-d-fearing who pray each
day in
synagogue. For on their way to
pray at the synagogue, they may see a wagon load of
wood for sale, and stop to bargain over the price.
Thus, they come late to services and miss Borchu
and Kedusha - all for the small discount they receive
from the seller.
None of the defending angels could refute
this, but the Baal Shem Tov came to Israel's defense.
True, he said, that a mitzvah can be lost for some
trifling amount before it is done; however, after the
mitzvah has been fulfilled, a Jewish person would not
sell it for the greatest fortune, even the foolhardiest
person.
With this argument, he sweetened the
harsh judgments. This is the meaning of: "To you,
G-d, is kindness; for You repay each man
according to his deeds." That is, according to the love
the person has for the mitzvah after they perform it, not
necessarily before.
Degel Machane Reuven 59
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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209: TORAH KNOWLEDGE
"I rejoice over Your Words like one who has found a
huge treasure." 1
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
Even though one took from this treasure, he is still
distraught that he could not take more, although it
would have been impossible to take. By the same
token, even though one has learnt much Torah, much
more still remains, for it is impossible to learn it all,
because as the verse says, "It is broader than the
earth."2
1Psalms 119:162.
2Job 11:9. In a similar vein, the Baal
Shem Tov comments elsewhere on the
verse, "G-d's
Torah is whole" (Psalms 19:5), that despite everything
that has been learnt about it over all generations, it
still remains intact and its surface unscratched.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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