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TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
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SHAVUOT
Experiencing the giving of the Torah, even for a saint,
is difficult.
"There was thunder and lightning in the morning . . . .
The people in the camp trembled. Moses led the
people out of the camp toward the Divine Presence."
Exodus 19: 16,17
A MATTER OF STRENGTH
And then there was the time, just a few days before
the holy festival of Shavuos - the time of the receiving
of the holy Torah - when Reb Baruch of Tuichin
traveled to Medzibush to pray at the holy resting place
of his grandfather, the Holy Baal Shem Tov. Reb
Baruch completed his prayers at the Baal Shem Tov's
gravesite, but he did not pay a visit to his brother, Reb
Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudylkov. Instead, he
returned home in time to spend Shavous with his
Chassidim and his family.
Immediately after Shavuos, Reb Baruch again
traveled to pray at the grave of the Baal Shem Tov. But
this time, he stopped to visit his brother, Reb Moshe
Chaim Ephraim.
During their conversation, Reb Moshe Chaim
Ephraim asked his brother: "Reb Baruch, when you
came to our grandfather's holy gravesite before the
festival, why did you not call on me? And why did you
return again so soon after Yom Tov?"
Reb Baruch answered: "I was told from Above that if I
so desired, I could receive the revelation of Torah on
Shavuos with thunder and lightning, just as Moshe
Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) and the whole Jewish
nation had received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. The
lightning and thunder was a physical revelation of G-
dliness that I wished to also experience."
"And so," he continued, "before Shavuos, I went to the
graveside and asked our holy grandfather to intercede
in heaven so that I be granted the merit and the
strength to receive the Torah in such a manner. When
I returned to Tuichin, I did indeed receive the Torah on
Shavuos with thunder and lightning. But afterwards, I
did not have the strength to bear such a revelation, as
each Jew has his own unique strengths and abilities,
unlike any other individual. I though my abilities would
allow me to receive the Torah on the level
of "lightening and thunder". But I now realize that such
revelations are too great for my nefesh (soul). My
abilities and strengths are in other areas, where I can
serve the Creator to the best of my abilities. One's
desires should be in accordance with one's abilities
and strength."
"So I returned and asked the Rebbe, our grandfather,
to intercede again and have the revelation removed."
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in A
Treasury of Chassidic Tales On the Festivals by
Zevin.
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SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
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I have a tradition from my Master (the Baal Shem Tov)
that when Shavuos falls out on the day that the
Ancient Hebrews received the Torah, in the time when
they sanctified [the moon] according to visual
testimony,1 or on the seventh [of Sivan]
according to
Rabbi Yossi,2 that during the reading of
the Ten
Commandments, one should concentrate on the
[Divine]3 Name derived from the
verse: "Open my
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things in Your
Torah" (Psalms 119:18) [interspersed with the Name
Y-H-V-H]: Siddur Rav Shabsai
One must be extremely careful not to speak a single
idle word from the recitation of the Tikun of [Shavuos]
night4 until after the Kedusha prayer of
Musaf.5 For
then, all the Ornaments of the Bride
ascend.6 Thus,
one should be very careful to purify their thoughts at
least until this time. Siddur Rav Shabsai
1In the days when the Holy Temple
stood in
Jerusalem, the first of each month was determined
(sanctified) according to the testimony of witnesses to
the new moon. The Baal Shem Tov apparently means
that when Shavuos falls out on Shabbat, as it did
when the Torah was first given, the following mystical
intention applies.
2Shabbat 86b. According to Rabbi
Yossi, the Torah
was given on the seventh of Sivan, not the sixth.
3In classic Jewish texts, words marked
off by
paranthesis usually means inaccurate text that
appeared in early editions, whereas brackets means
a later emendation.
4The Tikun, or "Rectification," of
Shavuos night is a
collection of short verses and citations drawn from the
Written and Oral Torah. It is the custom of many to
recite this on Shavuos night. These are called
the "Ornaments of the Bride," referring to the
Shechinah - the Divine Presence - which ascends to
unite with G-d during the Shavuos morning
prayers.
5This prayer, recited during the
Reader's Repetition of
the Musaf Amidah prayer, begins "A crown they will
give to You - Kesser itnu Lecha"
6There are 24 Ornaments of the Bride
(See Rashi on
Exodus 31:18). These correspond to the 24 books of
Scripture that comprise the main part of the Shavuos
night Tikun, as well as the 24 possible combinations
of G-d's holy Name Ado-nai, that correspond to the
Sefirah of Malchus. By reciting the Tikun of Shavuos
night, one clothes the Bride - the Divine Presence - in
beautiful garments that make her fit for union with the
King.
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HEART OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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7-c2 Serving G-d with constricted
consciousness.
Sometimes, a person can only serve G-d with
mochin d'katnus.1 They do not enter the
Supernal
worlds at all but merely think about how the whole
world is filled with His glory and that G-d is
close to them. At that point, they are like a child whose
mind has only partially developed. Nonetheless,
though they serve G-d in this way, it is done
with great spiritual attachment.
Tzava'as HaRivash
67
1Literally
meaning small-mindedness, this term refers to a
constricted consciousness or perception
From
HEART OF PRAYER by Tzvi Meir
Cohn
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DIVINE LIGHT
The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov
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53. The Baal Shem Tov taught:
Joyous prayer is certainly more pleasing to
G-d than depressed and tearful prayers.
For example, a poor man who entreats the king with
great sobs and cries will still only receive a little.
However, when a minister joyfully praises the king
before him and then makes his request, the king will
bestow upon him bountifully, as befits the minister's
stature.
Tzava'as HaRivash, 107
From DIVINE LIGHT by Tzvi Meir
Cohn
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KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
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Kst 90
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
After a person
experiences a period of spiritual elevation, one must
return and descend in order to elevate those still on
lower levels,1 as alluded to in the
verse, "I have
washed my feet."2 This is also the
meaning
of, "running and returning,"3 and what is
referred to
as, "katnut/immaturity and
gadlut/maturity."4
And every time one descends, one must take care to
be able to rise again,5 so that one does
not remain
in spiritual descent. For as the Baal Shem Tov said,
many people fell and remained there.6
1This idea is connected with
the previous
teaching (#89), in that one can elevate others only by
identifying and becoming "one" with them on some
level. During periods of spiritual ascent, when one is
experiencing a spiritual "high," one may tend to
disassociate from those people still on lower levels,
and is thus unable to elevate them. But when one has
fallen oneself, one understands and identifies with
the difficulty others are experiencing, and is thus able
to elevate them with his own return.
2Song of Songs 5:3. The "feet" are a
metaphor for
the lowest spiritual levels, and the verse thus alludes
to the thought that may go through the mind of
someone presently at a higher level: I have "washed"
my own "feet" already, so I don't want to dirty myself
again.
3Ezekiel 1:14. This verse refers to the
angels
running towards and returning away from G-d, and is
metaphor for the spiritual ups and downs of the
human soul.
4 Although physiological maturity is
irreversible,
spiritual maturity is cyclical.
5Although one may be in a state of
spiritual descent,
one must remain aware of this and not allow oneself
to wallow in this state or to act in ways that would
reinforce it.
6Toldot Yaakov Yoseph, VaYera #1.
Indeed, the
higher one goes, the deeper the potential fall, and the
disappointment and frustration one experiences.
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